This Beautiful World: The 5 Must-Sees in the Metropolitan Museum of Art

   When most tourists visit New York City for the first time, they have a set agenda of things to do. The hurried, hectic attitude of the city that never sleeps is infectious, especially if you are only there for a short period of time. You feel the need to rush through your list of sights to see and experiences to have. Central Park? Check. Broadway play? Done. Statue of Liberty? Yep. It’s crammed and rushed, and you’re just trying to get through all the things you told yourself you needed to see. And that’s just how my trip was—I sprinted my way through Broadway musicals, shopping, fine dining, and other touristy musts, like Ground Zero and Times Square. And while it was fun, exciting, and just as amazing and magical as I had hoped it would be, I felt hurried–except for when I was visiting the Met. Considered one of the best museums in the world, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has the most extensive, impressive collections of art from around the world that I have ever seen. From ancient French evening gowns to a real Egyptian temple (and dozens of mummies, of course), the Metropolitan has enough in its inventory to keep you entertained and amazed for weeks. And one of the best parts is that, unlike the rest of the city, the Metropolitan is quiet, the docents are friendly and eager to teach, you can move at your own unhurried pace, and, one of the best parts, it’s free! In my opinion, it is the absolute best thing to see in New York, and here’s a list of the five coolest galleries in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

1. Egyptian Art Gallery 

Spanning 39 rooms, the highlights of this gallery include real mummies, hieroglyphs, ancient artifacts, and the Temple of Dendur, brought to New York directly from Egypt.

2. European Art Gallery 

In this 60-exhibit gallery, there are hundreds of paintings by masters like Botticelli, Raphael, Van Gogh, and Gauguin.

3. Greek and Roman Art Gallery 

The classical art in this gallery spans from household objects and painted vases, to gigantic statues and a real chariot.

4. Asian Art Gallery 

The art in this gallery is from all over Asia, including China, Japan, Korea, India, and Tibet, and features paintings, calligraphy, tapestries, and sculpture.

5. Arms and Armor Gallery 

One of the most unique in the museum, this gallery features armor from around the world, and even has a suit of armor that once belonged to King Henry VIII.