One Friday afternoon, my son came home from kindergarten and announced that we must go to The Met over the weekend because he had to see the Renoirs. (His wonderful art teacher had introduced the class to Impressionist art.) I was overjoyed—and I had to laugh, too. Hey, maybe my husband and I were living up to the NYC parenting dream after all, if our 5-year-old was requesting weekend visits to The Met instead of his favorite playground!
If you're lucky enough to live down the road from a world-famous art museum, why shouldn't your whole family should take advantage, and explore it together? We've made countless trips to this irreplaceable cultural institution over the years. The anchor of NYC's Museum Mile, The Met is more than 2 million square feet and houses at least that many pieces in its collection, which date back more than 5,000 years—so, as any parent knows, it's impossible to really cover it all in one outing, or even several. Fortunately, admission is always "suggested," so you can visit as often as you like. And with the enticing Ancient Playground and all of Central Park right outside its doors, The Met is always worth the trip. Here are our top tips for visiting The Met with kids, including our favorite sections to explore, and hidden treasures.
