The Metropolitan Museum

Location: New York, NY
Overview:
Commonly known as “The Met,” the Metropolitan Museum of Art is one of the world’s largest and most comprehensive art museums, located in New York City. Founded in 1870, its grand main building sits on the eastern edge of Central Park along what is known as “Museum Mile.” The museum’s vast collection spans over 5,000 years of human creativity and culture, encompassing everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts and Greco-Roman sculptures to European masterpieces, Asian crafts (including works from Japan and China), Islamic art, fashion, and contemporary works.
Beyond traditional fine art, the Met also houses significant collections of arms and armor, musical instruments, and furniture, offering immense cultural and historical value.
Walking through its galleries feels like a journey through the ages and across civilizations. There’s always something new to discover.
The museum is also known for its innovative exhibitions―like those blending contemporary fashion and art, or rooftop installations that redefine gallery space. It is more than just a museum; it is a living space where art, culture, and history breathe.

“Do you live in New York?” she asked.
“No,” I answered.
“What about him?” she continued, pointing at Neil.
“He lives in New York,” I said.
“Then buy your ticket with him. It’ll be cheaper that way,” she said, and that was the end of the conversation.

I joined Neil, who was just about to pay at the next window, and explained the situation. We bought the tickets together. While the general admission is $30, New York residents apparently have the option to pay what they wish. Thanks to that, we managed to get into the Met for much less than expected.

“Remember in junior high English class, the textbook New Horizon had that example sentence? ‘How do I get to the Metropolitan Museum?’ We finally made it,” said Ryo, looking up at the Met’s towering ceilings in awe.

The three of us stepped into what felt like a giant labyrinth of art. We checked the map again and again, constantly losing our sense of direction, trying to figure out where we even were. It truly was a literal maze.

After wandering through a few exhibition rooms together, Neil asked, “So, what’s the plan now?”
“We’re staying here all day,” we replied.
He smiled and said, “In that case, I’ll take my leave and get back to work. Enjoy the rest of your day,” and left the museum.

Our whirlwind morning, which had started with a very New York, sophisticated, and fancy breakfast, a bike ride through Central Park, and a visit to the museum, came to a close.

As expected, the two of us ended up lost again. We climbed and descended marble staircases, map in hand, only to find ourselves drawn into rooms we hadn’t planned to visit. But even that randomness felt pleasant. The quiet air of the galleries, the masterpieces speaking from their heavy frames―the warmth of the brushstrokes, the dance of light and shadow, the obsession of the artists... As we stood there, transfixed, the sense of time quietly faded away.

“Moments this luxurious probably don’t come around very often,” someone said. Or maybe it was just a voice inside one of our heads.
In this space that seemed to seal in the air of centuries past, we simply looked at paintings and felt something. That alone somehow left us fulfilled. It was an afternoon that felt almost like witnessing a sacred ritual.

―But we had made a critical mistake.
We suddenly realized our reservation at the restaurant was fast approaching.
And we still hadn’t seen the massive Egyptian section.

“I just have to see the blue hippo,” Ryo said, and we hurried, sweating, through the enormous maze, desperately searching for it.
But we had no time left.

When we asked a curator, he smiled and said, “The blue hippo is currently off display.”
“Don’t assume it’ll always be there,” whispered a voice in my head.

Wiping away the sweat pouring down our faces, we rushed past the mummy exhibits, out of breath, and made a beeline for the gift shop.
The gift shop, at least, we couldn’t skip.

With a few Met souvenirs in hand, we finally left the museum behind.