NYC visit: Metropolitan Museum of Art

 Last week we took a very quick trip up to NYC for my sister's wedding.  We were mainly there to visit with family and attend the wedding, but how can you be in New York and not take advantage of all the things there are to do?  Daniel and I took a few mornings to do a few fun things.  I knew I had to get to Metropolitan Museum of Art, if only to fill up my "culture and beauty" reservoirs for a bit longer.  I lured Daniel in with the promise of medieval armor.....

in front of a Tiffany mosaic

Initially when I researched the Met I was floored by the $25 US per person entrance fee.  But it turns out actually all that is required to enter is a donation of your choosing... which isn't very apparent on the Met's web site for obvious reasons.  I paid what I thought was a fair price, knowing we would only be able to stay for about 2 hours, and the ticket lady didn't even flicker an eye at the much smaller then recommended amount of cash I handed over.  I had also heard the exhibit on the Met's roof was worth checking out.  Since timed tickets were required, we headed up there first.

The sculpture is called Cloud City, and you can climb through. The floors and walls are either clear plexiglass or mirrors, which gives a slightly disorienting effect.  It only took a few minutes to walk through, and there weren't very many other people on the roof.  The weather was just perfect.

enough with this perfect-weather-perfect-skyline thing.  Find me some ARMOR.

Since we were working with limited time, we walked through the ground floor at quite a brisk pace, trying to take in as much as possible as quickly as possible.  Highly not ideal, but better then nothing.  We decided to  budget a little more time on the period rooms and medieval armor, but managed to take in the sculpture halls also.

same nose.

I was geeking out a bit at the absolutely perfect light in the sculpture halls....

Yay Armor!

incredible details

A L-shaped metal bar was welded on the back between the helmet and shoulders of this jousting armor, my theory is that it was to prevent the knight's head from being knocked off.  

Growing up in Belize, Daniel has not had many opportunities to visit museums like the Met.  I really enjoyed viewing exhibits with him, because vague history, so hard for him to relate, began to come alive.  He walked through the sumptuous period rooms from 1700 and 1800's Europe, and silently took in the idea that people had actually lived in these rooms with their glittering chandeliers, gold trimmed walls, and delicate silk-covered chairs.  He stood inches away from a marble statue, carved with perfection 2000 years ago.   When looking at a fabulously intricate metal medieval strong box, he turned to me and said, "I didn't know these things were real.  I thought they were just made up for movies."  Daniel has always been one not to take much stock in history, and always says it is better to remain focused on the present.  But walking through the Met, he commented that he wished his students could come and experience the rich collection of history.  It would open their eyes to the world.