Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
Egyptian Art
The museum has an unrivaled collection of ancient Egyptian art, some of which dates
back to the Paleolithic era. Located to the north of the Great Hall, the 39 Egyptian galler-
ies open dramatically with one of the Met's prized pieces: the Mastaba Tomb of Perneb (c
2300 BC), an Old Kingdom burial chamber crafted from limestone. From here, a web of
rooms is cluttered with funerary stele, carved reliefs and fragments of pyramids. (Don't
miss the intriguing Models of Meketre, clay figurines meant to help in the afterlife, in
Gallery 105.) These eventually lead to the Temple of Dendur (Gallery 131), a sandstone
temple to the goddess Isis that resides in a sunny atrium gallery with a reflecting pool - a
must-see for the first-time visitor.
European Paintings
On the museum's 2nd floor, the European Paintings' galleries display a stunning collec-
tion of masterworks. This includes more than 1700 canvases from the roughly 500-year-
period starting in the 13th century, with works by every important painter from Duccio to
Rembrandt. In fact, everything here is, literally, a masterpiece. In Gallery 621 are several
Caravaggios, including the masterfully painted
The Denial of St Peter
. Gallery 611, to the
west, is packed with Spanish treasures, including El Greco's famed
View of Toledo
.
Continue south (to Gallery 632) to see various Vermeers, including the
Young Woman
with a Water Pitcher
. Nearby (in Gallery 634) gaze at Rembrandts, including a 1660
Self-
Portrait
. Altogether more modern beauties include Van Gogh's
Wheat Field with
Cypresses
(Gallery 823), Renoir's
By the Seashore
(Gallery 824), and a young Picasso's
pensive
Seated Harlequin
(Gallery 830). And that's just the beginning. You could spend
hours exploring this veritable sea of powerful works.
Art of Arab Lands
On the 2nd floor you'll find the Islamic galleries with 15 incredible rooms showcasing the
museum's extensive collection of art from the Middle East and Central and South Asia. In
addition to garments, secular decorative objects and manuscripts, you'll find gilded and
enameled glassware (Gallery 452) and a magnificent 14th-century
mihrab,
or prayer
niche, lined with elaborately patterned polychrome tilework (Gallery 455). There is also a
