The Met

The Metropolitan Museum is one of a number of great museums located at the Museum Mile in Central Park, an area that used to be full of millionaire's mansions. The museum was moved here in 1880 into a smaller Gothic Revival building that is now surrounded by additions. Behold its present giant size!
While adults will enjoy the works by European masters and the wonderful collections of Roman and Greek art, kids will find colorful treasures that will keep them mesmerized in the Egyptian section. The Egyptian temple is the highlight for kids. The Temple of Dendur was a present from the Egyptian government, and is a complete temple from the 1st century BC. Kids can walk through its cold walls, and afterwards see mummies and the huge sphinx. There's so much to look at in the Egyptian section that you better not look at it all or you'll get too tired for the other great sections! The Arms and Armor collection is amazing for little boys. The golden Byzantine art will delight older children, as will the stained glass in the Medieval section. The musical instrument section fascinated me! They even had the guitar that Andres Segovia played.
Once your legs are achey and your tummy is growling, head to the self-serve Roof Garden Cafe (open May-October) and take in the views of Central Park that stretch for miles in front of you! The rotating sculptures up here add to the appeal, as do the luscious ritzy buildings along 5th Avenue, and on Friday and Saturday evenings, the lights make for a dreamy experience. If you're here in the evening, take a stroll along 5th Avenue all the way to the Guggenheim- it's a lovely walk to take at night.

Directions

The Metropolitan Museum is located at 1000 5th Ave, at 82nd Street and 5th Avenue, call (212) 535-7710.
Open S-Th 10-5:30, F and S 10-9. Closed Jan 1, first Monday in May, Thanksgiving (fourth Thurs in Nov), and Dec 25.
Admission is $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, $12 for students, and free for children under 12.

Click on map for interactive view