How to navigate 5,000 years of art in one day at the Met

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the most iconic museums in the world. Nestled into the eastern side of Central Park, it epitomizes uptown grandeur while offering a world-class art collection visitors on a sliding scale donation. Covering over two million square-feet, the Met features 5,000 years worth of art.

Given the size of its permanent collection, its wide-ranging exhibitions, and its two other museums the Met Breuer and the Met Cloisters, the Met is impossible to cover in one visit and you should plan your trip ahead of time.

We spoke with art world experts on the best ways to see the museum, must-see pieces, best photo spots and the hidden gems.

How to 'do' the Met

The Met is open seven days a week, unlike most New York City museums. Weekday mornings see the lowest foot traffic, says Meryl Cates, senior publicist for the Met. There are also high-traffic times of year you may want to avoid, namely the holiday travel season.

Plan your visit for a day "when you think no one else is there — so that means during the week and when people are at work or off at school," suggests Judith Walsh, founder of ART SMART, which conducts museum and gallery tours throughout New York and other cities. "And to avoid weekends in the afternoon."

Visiting the museum on a Friday or Saturday evening will put you among fewer tourists and more native New Yorkers, explained Sandra Jackson-Dumont, chairman of education at the Met.

Billed as "New York's Night Out," Friday evenings feature special tours and cultural events, such as jazz performances. The museum is open Friday and Saturday evenings until 9p.m.

Where to go

The entrance to Met is called the Great Hall and leads in three directions: left to Greek and Roman Art, right to Egyptian Art, or forward to Medieval art. Most guests begin exploring the museum via one of these adjacent galleries first.

However, Walsh recommends instead heading immediately to one of the galleries in the periphery of the museum — for example, to Modern and Contemporary Art or to The American Wing. "It takes a longer trip but you end up seeing less people," she said. "That might be one way, if someone wants to avoid the crowds and have a serene visit."

If you would preferred a chaperoned visit, Jackson-Dumont recommended taking advantage of one the Met's multiple daily guided tours. These tours are free with museum entry and available in 15 languages. The guided tours will touch upon highlights certain collections, such Modern and Contemporary Art or Arts of Ancient Egypt.

If visiting the museum with kids, consider picking up a free family guide booklet at the front desk or downloading one off the Met's website in advance. "There's been a series of objects that have been chosen in various collections that help parents navigate the collection through the lens of a child," Jackson-Dumont said of the family guides.

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