The Cloisters Museum - New York City, NY

Address:99 Margaret Corbin Dr.
New York, New York
Tel: (212) 923-3700

Take a trip back to medieval times! This branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicated to the art and architecture of Europe's Middle Ages, and contains more than two million works of art from ancient through modern times.

The Met's Cloisters collection contains approximately 5000 works of art, with pieces from the 12th- 15th centuries. The collection features sculptures, tapestries, works in stained glass, enamels, and ivories. Among the more famous pieces are 7 Dutch tapestries depicting "The Hunt of the Unicorn," and the Romanesque altar cross known as the "Cloisters Cross." The Cloisters building is itself a work of medieval art. Its composite structure incorporates elements from five medieval French cloisters. Your kids will get a kick out of its castle-like appearance. The Museum has been featured in numerous films including "Coogan's Bluff " and "Keeping the Faith," which are fun to watch before a visit here. All the medieval art got you hungry? The Met also has great options for dining including the Cafeteria, with its extensive selection of hot entrées, sandwiches, salads, snacks, and desserts, and the Petrie Court Cafe with its classic European-style waiter-service, set against the backdrop of Fort Tryon Park. The Cloisters is a 45-minute subway ride from midtown. To get here, take the M4 bus directly to the last stop (Fort Tryon Park–The Cloisters) or take the A train to 190th Street, exit the station by elevator, and walk north along Margaret Corbin Drive for approximately 10 minutes. To avoid walking, transfer to the M4 bus and ride one stop north. Tours and gallery talks are free with admission, so make sure to visit the Cloisters; a unique Manhattan period attraction that should not be missed!

The Cloisters, the branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, was assembled from architectural elements, both domestic and religious, that date from the 12th through the 15th centuries. The building and its cloistered gardens—located in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan—are treasures in themselves, effectively part of the collection housed there.