This may sound silly, but I remember when I was 4 years old watching Big Bird at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and being absolutely fascinated with the Egyptian exhibits. So, being almost 22 at the time, I was amazed again by the exhibits of the Ancient Egyptians. That was by far my favorite. I also enjoyed the medieval and renaissance art exhibits and the Impressionists. There is definitely something for everyone here!

Also, please don't touch anything, as the employees are like vultures, and if you even look like you will touch the glass, they flip out on you! If you really are there to explore, make sure you set aside an entire day - there is just too much to see!

This is the best museum of pre-20th-century art in the world and easily the best bargain in the city. There are MANY days worth of art, so it's often best to just pick a couple of exhibits and really explore them. The $6 audio guides are fantastic and can be used in any exhibit, even the touring ones. It is really a must-have if you are alone or in a group that splits up for a couple hours.

My final holiday "to-do" was to meet up with a friend from home who happened to be in town, so we could see the Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art together. To beat the crowds, we met right as the museum opened and made a beeline for the tree. For the past 35 years, the museum has decorated an immense tree with a unique and growing collection of 18th-century Neapolitan angels and cherubs scattered across its branches, plus a colorful array of crèche figures flanking a Nativity scene at its base.

Standing in the Medieval Hall, looking up at the 50 large, individually decorated angels suspended from the tree, surrounded by the smiling faces of the tourists and locals alike who had made the pilgrimage to this shrine to the spirit of the holidays, I received my first gift of the season. Greg escorted me to the café overlooking the Central Park, where we enjoyed a cup of coffee and a lively conversation about our childhood holiday traditions, which was an ideal way to wrap up my holiday whirlwind tour of New York.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street. 212/535-7710. Annual Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche, November 23, 2004–January 7, 2005, Medieval Art, 1st floor .

The entire time I walked around the Met, I was in awe. The art and the exhibits are set up so well. I was able to see paintings by my favorite artists up close. The Met allows photography in the museum (no flash), which enabled me to bring home memories. Set aside a lot of time for this museum (it's 1.6 million square feet) and wear good walking shoes.

Tips:
*Don't bring a stroller on Sunday (back carriers available at 81st St. entrance coat-check area.
*Be prepared to have your belongings searched.
*There is more than one booth to purchase tickets; look around since I found that most people went to the booth closest to the security check. Smaller lines are found at the opposite end.
*Make sure you wear the metal "M" button given to after paying your admission and it is in easy view for museum staff. I attached mine to my camera strap I wore around my neck. The staff expected you to know to wear it without ever being told.

Hours:
Friday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m.
Sunday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Wednesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Thursday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m.
Closed on January 1, Thanksgiving Day, December 25.

Directions:
Your best bet is to take the subway (trains 4, 5, or 6) to the 86th Street station.
The Met's website provides detailed driving directions from many areas. The parking garage will cost you between $14 and $35, depending on how long you are parked.

See the latest information at the Metropolitan Museum of Art website.

Admission for adults is $12.00 and it is definitely worth the price because there is so much to see! You could spend days here and not see everything! We spent all day and saw a lot, but our feet were very sore.

The museum provides free tours, one of which is a museum highlights tour. We took this hour-long tour with a guide who was so insightful on the museum and all of its art. Plus, it is a nice introduction to the layout of the buildings and what there is to see.

We have learned our lesson about spending a whole day at a museum. This time we brought our own food instead of paying $3.00 for a bottle of soda alone. This proved to be a little tricky because some of the guards at the entrances didn't like it when people were bringing in backpacks. One of them told us to check our bag, so we went to another entrance and snuck by without any disruption. We pulled out our bread and sandwich fixings in the American wing cafeteria where we did get a couple of strange looks from people. But hey, we saved a bundle!

Bathrooms are everywhere and so are opportunities to shop for souveniers.

Some highlights of the museum are:
Tiffany's beautiful stained glass
Frank Lloyd Wright room
Rembrant paintings
A large Medieval collection
Temple of Dendur

Address:
1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street

Phone:
212-535-7710

Website:
http://www.metmuseum.org/