The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Since its founding in 1870, The Metropolitan Museum of Art collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art across all times and cultures in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas.  Whilst spread over three iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters displaying 5,000 years of art from every corner of the globe, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Rather, it’s like a high-end entertainment destination with a choice of eateries and activities.  Renown also for its retail therapy, the main museum shop is enormous, covering three floors. One particular strength not seen on the same scale anywhere else are its period rooms. The Met has transported and restored dozens of period rooms, ranging from a frescoed 2,000-year-old Roman bedroom to a 1707 Ottoman room from Syria, and a whole series of historic boudoirs, drawing rooms and salons from France, Italy and England. Free guided tours run roughly every 15 minutes. Most are of the "highlights" variety, ideal if this is how you want to view the Museum.