The Met Cloisters in New York

The Met Cloisters in New York is a museum constructed in the style of a medieval European monastery. The Cloisters art museum is situated in the northernmost tip of Manhattan and surrounded by beautiful gardens. Furthermore, it’s part of the renowned Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan. The building alone is worth a visit. Already visited the main New York attractions? Or, are you a big fan of museums? You should certainly consider paying a visit to The Cloisters museum.

The Met Cloisters is part of The Met; buy The Met tickets here

Eric's Index

1 The Cloisters Collection
2 Medieval Cloister
- 2.1 Practical Information
3 FAQ

The Cloisters Collection

The museum focuses on European medieval art and architecture. The collection comprises of around 5,000 artworks. You can view sculptures, stained glass, tapestries and much more, mostly dating from the twelfth to the fifteenth century. The collection, as well as the land on which the museum sits, belonged to John D. Rockefeller Jr.

The Met Cloisters is not a large museum; in fact, you can see the entire collection in around an hour and a half.

Eric’s Tip: “One of the highlights of this museum is the surrounding gardens, which are full of trees, like the park in which the museum is located. It’s a good idea to plan your visit when the trees are green. The museum cafe will also be open then (April through October).”

The Met Cloisters in New York - Medieval Art

Medieval Cloister

The building that houses this division of The Met is very impressive. If you didn’t know better you’d think it had been there for centuries. In fact, the cloister wasn’t built as such but was composed of parts of several European monasteries. The building was constructed in the 1930s and was immediately converted into a museum. It’s surrounded by reconstructed medieval gardens.

The Met Cloisters in New York - Garden

Eric’s Tip: “The entrance fee is included in general admission tickets to The Met; therefore, it is not possible to buy separate tickets to this museum. Because the travel time to The Met Cloisters is rather long, it’s difficult to visit both museums (fully) in one day.”

Practical Information

Opening hours:
- The museum is open from Thursday to Tuesday
- Closed on Wednesdays
- Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day
Location: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park
How to get there: The Cloisters art museum is in Fort Tryon Park, around 30 minutes away by metro from Midtown Manhattan. The Atrain takes you directly from Times Square to the museum.
Accessibility: The museum is wheelchair accessible, but the accessibility at the main entrance is limited due to cobblestones and steps. A free shuttle service is available for visitors who require a step-free entrance.

Buy The Met tickets here

FAQ

The main focus of The Cloisters is European medieval art and architecture. The collection matches the building, which is constructed in the style of a medieval European monastery.

The collection of this branch of The Met isn't huge, so you need about 1.5 hours to see everything.

No, you need a general admission ticket for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This ticket includes entrance to The Cloisters.