Opened in 1872 and relocated more than a major sports team, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org) in New York is by far one of the most unique and interesting museums in the world. Situated right on 5th Avenue and 85th Street, The Met is in a prime locale for those looking to escape the world or take a break form the park.

Admission is $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and $10 for students. But here is the kicker. It is suggested! Really! You can pay whatever you want and no one cares. Pay a dime and treated just as well as someone who paid full price. I went with two other people and only paid a total of $0.75, as opposed to the $60 we would have paid if we paid full price. And with everything that this museum has to offer, the price can’t be beat, no matter what you pay.

Depending on where you pay, you can start in any of the three entrances that bring into different past worlds of wonder. The first room that has to be a must-do on your list is the Egyptian Room. This room is amazing. Complete with tombs, hieroglyphics, the Book of the Dead, and even a Temple, this section is the coolest attraction. The Book of the Dead is one interesting thing, being that it is the first written book of what happens in the after life. The Temple of Dendur is also a fun sight because you get to actually walk into it and look around.

A great seasonal attraction is the Roof Garden, which is open between spring and mid-fall, overlooks Central Park and has some of the most unique sculptures on display. The exhibit on display now is that of Frank Stella who created some very strange looking sculptures with original ideas. Other great areas of interest are those of the Renaissance Sculptures, the Medieval paintings, the musical section (a whole floor of different instruments throughout time), art from Asia and the Americas, Greek and Roman art and Modern and Contemporary art.

When you find yourself tired from Central Park or in need of a cultural boost to your brain, the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or the Met) should be your first stop. Located right at the bottom of Museum Mile, the Met is full of amazement and wonder and guaranteed to make the child inside awake with excitement.

The Metropolitan Museum of art - on 5th Avenue at 82nd St - is one of the world's great museums. It's got something of everything, and it's essentially free. You enter the Met by going up the gigantic, imposing marble staircase facing Fifth Avenue. (There's a special entrance for the disabled around to the right.) The stairs themselves are a New York institution, a good place to hang out and watch the world, eating a hot salted pretzel or an ice cream cone from one of the vendors on the sidewalk.

Once you're in the lobby, though, you may feel confused, because it's not instantly clear where to go next. This is because you have a lot of options. There are coat checks immediately to the left and right of the doors - you're required to check any large packages; it's free, but the lines may take a long time. There are admissions kiosks directly ahead of the entry doors, and also to the left and right. It doesn't matter where you get your entry ticket.
Suggested admission is high: $20 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, though kids under 12 are free. But the beauty of it is that the fee is only suggested. They'll let you in for a quarter, if that's all you can afford to pay. (Not that I'm recommending it. The Met's a great institution and deserves your money. But if you're on a tight budget, you can still go.)

Whatever you pay to get in, you're getting a lot for your money. The Met has more than anyone can see in one visit. My favorite is the Egyptian wing, which has massive sculptures, mummy cases, little model boats... and finally, as you reach the end, an entire Egyptian temple, the Temple of Dendur, moved to New York from the Nile when the temple was flooded by the building of the Aswan dam. But the Tiffany windows in the American wing are spectacular; the Modern wing contains some fabulous Picassos; there are rooms and rooms of period furniture and nineteenth century paintings and Chinese ceramics, and then there's the Arms and Armor wing, which contains a troop of life-size mounted knights, looking like they're about to gallop off into Central Park.

There are always special exhibits, constantly changing. These are announced on the long banners displayed on the museum's facade, and there are signs throughout the museum pointing you to the exhibits near you. These exhibits are all included in the admission price, though you may choose to rent an audio tour.

There's something for everyone at the Met - and probably something for everyone in the enormous and well-stocked gift shop, too. The museum is closed Mondays. It's open from 9:30am to 5:30pm Sunday and Tuesday through Thursday; Fridays and Saturdays from 9:30am to 9pm.

Wonderful place to visit when the weather is good. It is very packed in there so try to visit in the early hours and avoid the late hours. Nevertheless, excellent gift shop and support.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a great place to spend a morning, afternoon, or even an entire day. The permanent collection contains over two million works of art. You can see everything from ancient art to modern art. You can view paintings, furniture, photographs, sculptures, musical instruments, and much more. The Met also offers special exhibitions. These exhibitions are only on display temporarily. When we visited the Met there was a special exhibit that featured the designs of Coco Chanel. Before visiting the museum, you can get on their website to see what special exhibits will be featured during your visit.

Admission into the museum is suggested at $15 for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens, and is free for children. This makes a tour of the Met one of the more cost efficient activities in New York City. However, don’t plan to visit the Met on Monday. The museum is typically closed on Mondays. They are open late on Saturdays and Sundays.

One of the things I wanted to do during my trip to New York City was to visit the Metropolitan. Unfortunately, on my first attempt I went on Monday. The Met is closed on Mondays, so make sure you don't make the same mistake I did. However, on the last day of my stay in New York City, I finally made it to the Met when it was open. The suggested price for the Met is $15 for adults, and it was definitely worth every penny.

I definitely didn't allow enough time to view this museum. I devoted about 2 hours to it and probably could have used 2 days.

I started in the Egyptian artifacts collection. It was really very interesting and extensive. We saw numerous jewels and pottery from Egypt, along with carvings, etc. There was over 5 rooms dedicated to Egypt including a reproduction of one of the temples.

One of my favorite sections I viewed was the Impressionist galleries. There were numerous works by Degas, Monet, Manet, etc. The collection included not only prominent paintings but also numerous sculptures.

Overall, the only regret I have about the visit was that I didn't have enough time to truly see everything, or even half of everything. I can't wait to go back to New York to view more of this wonderful museum.