The Metropolitan Museum of Art is probably one of the most famous museums in New York City and the world. The famous Fifth Ave location received 7.35 million visitors in 2018 alone. But what many people don’t know about the Museum is its other branches: the Met Breuer and the Met Cloisters. These two extensions are still part of the Met family, but they each offer something unique.
The Met Breuer located on 75th St opened fairly recently in 2016, in what was previously the Whitney Museum’s building. The Breuer houses modern and contemporary art and has a changing selection of different exhibitions. But unlike the Fifth Ave location, the Breuer offers a tour exclusively for the building itself, which was designed by architect Marcel Breuer. Although the Met took over the Whitney building only four years ago, the Frick Collection is likely to take over the building. But if you happen to visit before the switch, the Breuer is only a short walk away from restaurant J.G. Melon, famous for its classic burgers.
Probably the most distinct from the other two, the Met Cloisters is all the way up the island, in Fort Tryon Park. The Cloisters came to fruition mainly with the help of John D. Rockefeller in 1927. Opening in 1938, it is America’s only museum dedicated solely to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. As well as a traditional indoor museum, the Cloisters also feature outdoor gardens and pathways that lead to different sections of the museums, making it a great place to visit in the spring or summer. My favorite aspect of the Cloisters are the sweeping views of the Hudson river. The quiet setting, surrounded by nature gives a vastly different experience than the Breuer or the Met Fifth Ave.
Allison Hong
Arts & Culture Editor
Graphic: Jacob Baskin