Joy and Wander – Getting Lost at the Met in NYC

“A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth, and meaning in our lives. Go to museums as often as you can.”
— Maira Kalman

Museums hold such joy and inspiration.  Yes, I know that museums aren’t for everyone, and to those folks I say “but have you really tried”.   

I wouldn’t say I am a junkie but every time I visit or visited a new city, one of the first things I do is visit a museum.  (For the record, I have visited it about 7 times.) 

Why?  Because it holds so many stories – stories about how we got here today, how this city came to be, and who had brilliant ideas before their their time.

One of my “A list” museums that I love and truly adore,  is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.  (And yes, I have also been to museums in Europe and still adore the Met).  I know you may be asking yourself  “when will I ever get there”?  Well, I was in the same boat for many years and then one year, my friends and I just stopped saying never and “just did it”.

The Metropolitan Museum is massive but not overwhelming.  When you walk into the main hall, you immediately get a sense of the scale of the museum and the beauty it contains. (If you scroll down, you can see a brief slideshow of some of my favourite highlights.)

You can meander all the halls and design your own path and flow.  There are multiple floors including a lower level that often houses a costume museum (and one of my favourite parts of the Met).  Your visit is made up of a series of connected halls and rooms, on all floors, and if you get a little “noshy”, you can also enjoy one of my favourite cafes, looking out to Central Park, called the Petrie Court Cafe . (PS. After I visit the Met, I head south to Central Park with a coffee, and just wander in the Park. 

You will not be disappointed.  The museum holds famous artists such as Monet, Picasso and Renoir.  And then you also see artwork or displays that just take your breathe away.   If you’re like me, that’s because you  aren’t an aficionado but the artwork just inspires you.   

If you catch some of the exhibits, you can also see a room full of twinkling diamonds, rubies and emeralds, donated by movie stars and wealthy aristocrats. I think I spent hours at this exhibition and tried to take in all that artistry and “shine” that lit up the room.  It oozed decadence and beauty.

My favourite is the sun dappled court in the American Wing, where you can sit in the sun filled atrium amongst the roman statues, and just wanting to pinch yourself.

This museum has it all.  Period.

Want to see a hall full of arm and armour including ones on armored horseback? It has it.

Want to wander a room full of European Sculpture atrium?  They have it.

Want to see all the famous artists you have every heard of? It has it.

Want to visit an Egyptian (“Temple of Dendur”) and a room full of mummies? Not one mummy, a room full! They have it.

Want to walk into rooms from 18^th century France and see how the rich people lived back then?  It has it.

Whatever it is that you were curious about and wanted to see “live”, they have it.   

I will write more about the Met (and New York City) later because there is so much to write.  

But my question to you is, when will you visit?

Bliss Reflection #15

Touring the museum can take hours if you wish to see it all, and also learn more about each of the displays. Sometimes when I visit, I only have a couple of hours and make it a point to see my favourite spots and then call it good.  Most times, I plan on spending either a full afternoon, or a full day (if I plan on stopping and eating).  

But the joy of visiting this particular museum comes from the beauty, the history, and all the learning. 

Museums feed two joy “ingredients”- 1) curiosity and 2) wandering.  I love feeding my curiosity about all things called “life” and the Met allows me to feed myself full.   I am always surprised by what I didn’t see the last time I visited.  

Sometimes, I choose a hall and decide today I will learn more about glass vases and place settings throughout history. And then imagine what life was like back then and “how did they do that”? 

Other times, I choose to wander slowly and take more time to sit, and stare at a particular painting that is larger than life in many ways.

Whatever the focus on my adventure, I am like a kid in the candy store when I walk into the Great Hall, their main entry off of the infamous 5^th Avenue. The anticipation of it is half the fun.

As I wander through, I am amazed at what civilization is capable of – good, and yes bad, but mostly good.  The ingenuity, the craftsmanship, the human spirt and the connection to nature when all this tech stuff was not there – all are amazing.

My favourite joy moment, is when my friends all chipped in and bought me a membership at the Met.   With my membership,  I was able to use one of their private member rooms. And there I was, a northern prairie girl, sipping a glass of wine, sitting beside the other New Yorkers.  Pinch me.  

I have to say – I sat there and took it all in. I looked around the room and wondered about all of the stories this room and these people had.  For a minute, I crossed paths with many life stories, while I sat there thinking “how did I get here”? 

For me, the Met was a “once in a lifetime” joy moment. And look at me now, I’ve been there not once, but seven times.  Life is short, and why not enjoy your once in a lifetime?

Bliss Finds and Facts

• Did you know that the Met has audio tours and you can listen to them from the comfort of your home? Check out their audio guide.
• For a listing of the current exhibitions and events, along with access their online map and shop, click here.
• Visit the Joy of Museums webpage for more information about many museums across the world.
• For some interesting facts about the Met, check out this blog on Mental Floss.