Metropolitan Museum New York Tickets

Pay What You Wish Admission Is Only For Ny/nj/ct Residents

Ugh, as of March 1, 2018, the MET has changed its Pay What You Wish Policy. Now, every Budget New York City travel post will need to be changed asap. LOL. Seriously, the MET was one of the classic cheap things to do in New York City.

A Total Debbie Downer :

Now, the Pay What You Wish Policy, applies only to New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey residents that produce a valid ID.

But there is Good News:

You can procure Metropolitan Museum of Art tickets free if you are a member, patron, or under the age of 12. But since most of my audience is well over the age of twenty-five , chances are that options one and two are the only realistic ways that you can obtain free tickets.

Therefore:

Anyone else in the audience will have to pay $25 for an adult ticket, $17 for a senior ticket, and $12 for a student ticket

Plus:

When you buy a ticket, the ticket is valid for three consecutive days but the ticket is valid for the MET Fifth Avenue, the MET Breuer exhibitions, and the MET Cloisters.

I Know:

Paying more sucks, but it isnt all bad. At least the money is going towards a good cause .

***Looking for MET express tickets? Just order those bad boys online or at a ticket machine. Just be forewarned that you will ONLY be able to purchase pay what you wish tickets from the admission desk. You know, from an actual person.

Met Museum Raises Admission Fee To $30

Beginning Friday, July 1, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will raise general admission prices by $5 for all visitors. New York state residents, along with tri-state students, will still retain the option to pay as they wish but for all other visitors, tickets will soon cost $30 for adults, $22 for seniors, and $17 for students, making the Met one of the most expensive museums in the city. A Met representative confirmed the fee increase in an email to Hyperallergic.

For decades, the Met upheld a pay-as-you-wish policy for all visitors, with suggested prices for adult tickets increasing from $20 to $25 in 2011. But that changed in 2018, whenthe museum limited the beneficiaries of that policy to in-state residents and tri-state students, citing rising operational demands and inadequate admissions revenue. The cost for admission for out-of-state visitors became $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students.

The new fee hike comes as inflation soars in New York City and nationwide. In May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the annual inflation rate was 8.6%, the highest its been since 1981. The Met also saw a steep decline in visitors in 2021 during the pandemic, and a dramatic decrease in ticket revenue with fewer out-of-state travelers visiting the museum due to COVID-19.

Metropolitan Museum Of Art

The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially “the Met“, is the largestart museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 Fifth Avenue, along the Museum Mile on the eastern edge of Central Park on Manhattan‘s Upper East Side, is by area one of the world’s largest art museums. The first portion of the approximately 2-million-square-foot building was built in 1880. A much smaller second location, The Cloisters at Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan, contains an extensive collection of art, architecture, and artifacts from medieval Europe.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 with its mission to bring art and art education to the American people. The museum’s permanent collection consists of works of art from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings, and sculptures from nearly all the European masters, and an extensive collection of American and modern art. The Met maintains extensive holdings of African, Asian, Oceanian, , and Islamic art. The museum is home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments, costumes, and accessories, as well as antique weapons and armor from around the world. Several notable interiors, ranging from 1st-century Rome through modern American design, are installed in its galleries.

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Places To Eat Inside And Nearby

There are two cafés inside the Met if you get famished or need a refreshing drink. They mostly sell coffee, pastries, and light eats. Outside the Met, you have endless food options since the museum is right in the middle of the city in Central Park. For more options, check out our guide on the best restaurants near the Met.

Inside the Met:

The American Wing Café: $ | Charles Englehard Court | First FloorHere you can enjoy coffee and other beverages. They also serve light snacks.

The Eatery: $$ | Ground FloorThis is my favorite spot if Im going to stop and eat something here. They cook a variety of seasonal dishes that they source from local farms and ranches, which means the meals are fresh and made from scratch. Kid-friendly options as well!

Outside the Met:

Food Trucks: $ | Right In Front of MetQuick and easy option for eating like a local. They have a variety of different foods to try. Personally, I always love the classic hotdog trucks.

Dos Toros Taqueria: $ | Mexican RestaurantGreat taco place. No frills, just great food.

Vinnies Pizzeria: $$ | PizzaIf youre looking for the old-school NYC pizza joint, then pop on over here for a slice.

Not ready to book a tour? Find out if a guided tour of the Met is worth it.

Find the best places to stay

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What To See At The Met

When you head into the Met, these are the must-see artworks to look for. If you want a more in-depth list with descriptions, locations, and images, of these works and more, check out our guide to the top things to see at the Met.

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Check Out Belvedere Castle Behind The Met

One of my favorite things about the MET is that it sits right on Central Park .

Thats Why:

If youre visiting the MET, then you kind of have to explore Central Park too. But the Park is so big that it can be a challenge to navigate.

Thats Why Im Here to Break it Down for You:

Belvedere Castle is insanely gorgeous is literally right behind the MET. Just think Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizard, only on a much smaller scale.

Sadly Though:

The castle is currently closed for repairs, so you can only see it from the outside.

But Added Bonus:

The Alice and Wonderland Statue, as well as the Bethesda Fountain , are both in the area. Therefore, you can easily check these sights out either before or after your visit to the MET.

Erics Visit In 90 Minutes

Do you want to visit The Met, but you dont want to spend half a day on it? If you would like to visit for around one and a half hours and see some of the highlights of the museum, I recommend that you first walk from The Great Hall to the Egyptian Art Department, with The Temple of Dendur at the end of the wing. Then, walk through the American Wing to the second floor, where you can view various well-known paintings at the European Paintings department 1250-1800. You could end your visit with a drink at my favourite place in the museum: the rooftop terrace .

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Wait I Dont Think This Is The First Time That We Met

Wow, I really need to work on condensing my posts. Either that or New York City needs to work on having smaller museums that give you very little to talk about

Either Way:

This concludes my rather varied assortment of hopefully useful, insider tips about the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Hopefully, you can use these travel hacks to get crunk at the MET! Kidding, I just want you to have more fun and stress less.

Just Remember:

Stress-free is the way to be. I mean, museums are supposed to be fun . So dont freak out and drive yourself insane by trying to set everything in one day. All youll end up with are really sore feet and a possible heart condition.

Instead:

Let go of your inner planaholic and just go with the flow. You can also eat your feelings at Sprinkles by getting a six pack of cupcakes for yourself. I promise I wont blow up your spot and tell people that youre not really throwing a party .

Sunday 22nd of April 2018

I love museums – my mum used to drag me around when I was kid, funny enough I do the same to my 2 now 🙂 the cloisters seem pretty cool too!

girlwiththepassport

Saturday 28th of April 2018

Haha. Isn’t it funny how things come full circle? I love how museums now are way more kid-friendly and really try to foster a love of the arts in children.

Josy A

Saturday 21st of April 2018

Brilliant detailed post! I love that you included the cloisters and some food options too as I always end up wit museum fatigue after a couple of hours and need a snack break!

D Cho Fada S A Bheir Taigh

Ma tha thu dèidheil air ealain agus ma tha thu airson faighinn a-steach don fhiosrachadh, bidh feum agad air trì gu còig uairean a thìde gus sgrùdadh a dhèanamh air na tha air a thaisbeanadh aig Taigh-tasgaidh Ealain Metropolitan.

Tha fios gun cuir cuid de luchd-tadhail crìoch air an turas aca ann an 90 mionaid.

Tha luchd-turais a tha air a bhith ann an taighean-tasgaidh ealain iomadh uair ag ràdh gu bheil sgìths ealain a tighinn a-steach às deidh timcheall air 2 uair a thìde de bhith a gluasad timcheall.

Bidh briseadh cunbhalach ga dhèanamh na chuairt cuimhneachail.

Tha prìs inntrigidh MET eadar-dhealaichte airson New Yorkers agus daoine nach eil ann an New York.

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The Met Is Raising Its Ticket Prices Making The Museum More Expensive Than Global Counterparts Like The Louvre Or Prado

Starting July 1, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will become one of the priciest museums worldwide. The Met is raising its tickets by $5, meaning entry will now cost $30 for adults, $22 for seniors and $17 for students.

The museum sold tickets on a pay-as-you-wish basis until 2018, when it limited this option to New Yorkers as well as students from New Jersey and Connecticut.

For out of state residents, the Museum is always seeking a balance between ensuring we are providing as wide access as possible, and generating critical support for our programming, wrote a Met spokesperson in a statement. This is a modest increase for out of state and international visitors, for the first time in 11 years.

While a small number of museums have comparable or higher prices, such as the $30 admission at Seattles Chihuly Garden and Glass museum or the £26 tickets at Londons Churchill War Rooms, this increase makes the Met more expensive than some of the worlds most popular art museums.

The Louvre, Paris

General admission to the Louvre costs 17 euros . Its free for those under 18 and members of the E.U. aged 18 to 25.

The Prado, Madrid

The Prado costs 15 euros for general admission, 7.5 euros for those over 65 and is free for students and visitors under 18.

The Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

Ticket prices at the Rijksmuseum are 20 euros and free for those under the age of 18.

The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg

Entry to the State Hermitage Museum will cost you 500 rubles .

Met Museums Audio Guide

Met Museums audio guide includes more than 3,000 recordings and is a great tool to explore the 5,000 years of art on display.

Using the audio guide, visitors can explore highlights of The Met collection in ten languages English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Audio players come with volume control and headsets. Neck loops for hearing aids with T switches are also available on request.

Audio guide players are available for rent at Met Museum entrance.

Image: Metmuseum.org

In fact, they are also available at the entrances of its two other sister Museums The Met Cloisters, and The Met Breuer.

Cost of Met Museums audio guide

The per person fee for this audio guide is $7 for adults and $5 for children under 12 years of age.

Audio Guide players are $5 for all visitors after 5 pm on Friday and Saturday evenings.

The Central Park Pass includes tickets to Central Park Zoo, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and American Museum of Natural History. You also get a 10% discount code, which you can use to get discounts on future purchases.

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From The Met Cloisters

The best option is to take the M4 bus to 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue.

The next best public transport option is to take the A train to 125th Street station, get onto a B or C local train, and get off at 81st Street station.

From just outside 81st Street station, you can transfer to the M79 crosstown bus across Central Park to Fifth Avenue.

Secrets To Help You Visit The Met Like A Local

Hey, there cool kids, madam Cleo the psychic here. Let me guess, youre traveling to New York City and plan on visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Know it, kind of like John Edwards on Crossing Over. LoL.

Just Kidding!

Duh, Im not really a psychic or else Id be a millionaire endlessly traveling the world. Nope, no extraordinary mental or predictive capabilities here.

However:

I do believe that youre here because you want to visit the MET like a boss, I mean local.

But:

Thats easier said than done.This museum is insanely large and as a result, can easily overwhelm any first time visitor. (Were talking Louvre

big people. Okay, not quite THAT big but rather large and in charge for sure).

So whats a non-native New Yorker to do?

Well never fear! This New Yorker is a museum nerd of sorts. So on any given weekend, Ill just be walking through New York City and inevitably, somehow, end up at the MET.

Which is Great Because:

Now I can share all my insider tips with you so that you can make the most out of your next visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

On the Down Side Though:

You MUST accept the fact that you physically CANNOT see the entire museum in one day unless you want to kill yourself in the process.

But:

If you use these tips then you can maximize your time at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. So rather than freaking out about what you DIDNt see, instead, try and focus on all the amazing things that you did get to see, like the Temple of Dendur .

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Best Time To Visit Met Museum

The best time to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art is between 4 pm to 5 pm on Friday or Saturday.

The majority of the visitors are getting out by then, and since on Friday and Saturday the Museum remains open till 9 pm, you get 4 to 5 hours to explore.

If you cant plan your visit on a Friday or Saturday, the next best time to be at the MET Museum is as soon as they open their doors at 10 am.

The MET Museum is one of the few attractions Worldwide to have a Tripadvisor rating of five, because of which it gets more than six million visitors annually.

Whichever time you visit, it makes sense to buy Met Museum tickets in advance.

Are Met Tickets Included In Any Nyc Attractions City Passes

Fortunately, there are many attractions city passes that include access to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, such as the New York Pass, the New York CityPass, the Explorer Pass, and the Sightseeing Pass.

Buying a city pass also gives you discounted access to many other New York attractions, such as the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Ferry access to the Statue of Liberty and much more. Booking a pass is a great idea if youre staying for a few days and would like to see as much of the city as possible. Read our full guide about all NYC passes.

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Digital Representation Of Collections

Beginning in 2013, the Met organized the Digital Media Department for the purpose of increasing access of the museum’s collections and resources using digital media and expanded website services. The first Chief Digital Officer Sree Sreenivasan from 2013 departed in 2016 and was replaced by Loic Tallon at the time that the department became known by its simplified designation as the Digital Department. At the start of 2017, the department began its Open Access initiative summarized on the Met’s website titled “Digital Underground” stating: “It’s been six months since The Met launched its Open Access initiative, which made available all 375,000+ images of public-domain works in The Met collection under Creative Commons Zero . During what is just the dawn of this new initiative, the responses so far have been incredible.” At that time, more than 375,000 photographic images from the museum’s archival collection were released for public domain reproduction and use both by the general public and by large public access websites such as those available at Google BigQuery.

In May 2022, the Met and the World Monuments Fund announced a collaboration of digital work for the 2024 reopening of the African, ancient American, and Oceanic art galleries. The digital project “aims to bolster the understanding of several historic sites in sub-Saharan Africa,” in particular sites that have been minimally explored by Western museums.