New York - Day 4 - My First Time at the Met

In addition to visiting MoMA on our New York trip, we also visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The duration of our time there was disappointingly slim, but we were determined to make the most out of it. After realizing the flaw of our analytic museum tactics, Maddy and I knew we had to carefully plan this one out. We only had 2 hours to skim through one of the world's largest art museums. We would have to be swift but careful to not neglect the big highlights. 

As much as we prepared ourselves, it was not an easy task to explore the Met. It was like walking through a giant corn maze, except harder and more aesthetically pleasing. It was especially difficult because we had walked for miles and miles beforehand. My feet were aching but I was determined to not displease the art museum gods. 

While we were going through the galleries, I recalled E.L. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, a novel that we read in our fourth grade English class. To be honest, I don't remember much about the book, but while we were going through the 18th century bedrooms, I remembered the scene in which the Kincaids slept on an elegant bed. Maddy and I were debating which of the beds the Kincaids may have rested on (I later found out that the original bed they slept on is no longer on display).

The highlight of my museum visit was on the second floor, where the 19th- and early 20th-century European paintings were. I kid you not, a teardrop rolled down my right cheek when I saw a Renoir painting for the first time. Even now I get chills just thinking about it. I was strolling through the entire section ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the paintings. "That Degas painting used to be my phone wallpaper!", "This Degas painting is taped to my closet!", "This Monet painting was in the Titanic!" I felt like I was walking on air, going through Degas, Renoir, Monet, Vermeer, Picasso, and all the other greats.

MATISSE, YOU GUYS, MATISSE!!

The saddest part of my visit was probably at the tail-end of it. We had arrived at around 7:00, 2 hours before they close. At the end, Maddy and I went looking for the modern and contemporary section. We wanted to see a Dali painting before we left. Unfortunately, they closed the section off because it was getting close to closing time. Had I known they were going to close that section early, I would have gone there earlier. 

My feet ached an awful lot by the time I was done. I limped all the way to the Empire State Building and on the way to the hotel. Visiting the Met was an enlightening experience, just imagine if there were no time constraints! Should I ever become the supreme leader of any given benevolent dictatorship, I would command all my subjects to visit the Met. Hopefully it won't be long before I come back. 

For anyone that dare question the gloriousness of the Met, or anyone that wants to know more about in general, click here. For anyone that doesn't remotely recall reading the Mixed-Up Files or its connection to the Met, click here.