Easily one of the best art museum in the world, with works spanning 6 continents and over 6,000 years, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is so vast you could easily spend days inside. If you don’t have days to spare, our Met Express Tour cuts to the core, taking you straight to the collection’s highlights in just 2 hours.
The vastness of the Met collection is what makes it special, so we’ve carefully planned an itinerary to show you a broad spectrum of art, sculpture, jewels, artifacts and even architecture. Traveling in small groups of 15 people or fewer, with an expert guide, you’ll traverse the globe without leaving Central Park.
Our tour starts in Ancient Egypt, beholding perfectly preserved ancient Egyptian tomb models. See tiny dioramas that show what life was like in the times of Tutankhamen and learn about the fascinating burial rituals of the era. You’ll understand a little more of this at our next stop, Egyptian mummies and “William,” the Met’s “mascot.” Next, onto a prize jewel of the Met Museum, the Temple of Dendur, an Ancient Egyptian Temple right smack in the middle of Central Park. New York City can thank Jackie O for helping procure this magnificent work, as rumor has it, for cultural and personal reasons. Your guide will give the gossip along with the art.
More rumors abound at two of the next pieces we see – the armor of Britain’s infamous King Henry VIII, and the Antioch Chalice, purported by some as, ‘The Holy Grail.”
We’ll see more ancient works of Greek statuary and Roman frescoes before moving to the exotic, with a stop in Papua New Guinea. The Met houses a number of beautifully carved Bisj poles, collected by a Rockefeller – at the cost of his life. We’ll then head to the second floor to soak in some of Claude Monet’s famous Water Lillies, be energized by the expressive works of Vincent Van Gogh, and be inspired by a bronze of Rodin’s Thinker.
Our tour ends with a bang, an ascent to the rooftop garden (May–Oct only, weather permitting), to enjoy one of our favorite views of New York City. You’ll gaze across the green of Central Park, framed by the city skyline. At the conclusion of the tour, you’re welcome to linger on the rooftop and enjoy a snack or drink from the garden café, happy in the knowledge that you’ve seen the best of the Met in just 2 hours.
Inclusions:
Pre-arranged Met Museum tickets, with donation included
Expert local tour guide
Small groups of only 15 people or fewer
*Rooftop garden (May through October, weather permitting)
Exclusions:
Gratuities for guide
Hotel pick-up/drop-off
Food/Beverages
Sites Visited:
Ancient Egyptian Tomb Models
Temple of Dendur
Egyptian Mummies
Tiffany Windows
Armor of King Henry VIII
Antioch Chalice a.k.a. ‘The Holy Grail’
Greek and Roman Statuary
Ancient Roman Frescoes
Bisj Poles from Papua New Guinea
Auguste Rodin – Select Sculptures
Claude Monet - Water Lillies
Vincent van Gogh - Selected Works
Rooftop Garden (May-October only, weather permitting)
Please note, this tour is in English only.
