A must for a trip to New York. This museum is the ultimate in museums and if you can only go to one, be sure this one is it. Special art exibits change frequently. Grab a hot dog from a vendor and relax on the steps. It is great.

This is huge place and you can''t see it all in one shot. I like to do one or two areas and then run out and grab a beer or snack. Try the Greek sculptures or, if you have kids along, the arms and armor exhibits or the Junior Museum (basement) is a good choice. Special exhibits require tickets, so if there is a "hot" exhibit, don''t expect to just walk in unless you are among the rich and famous.

It would take days to see everything in the Metropolitan, (which spans 4 city blocks). With the help of a map picked up in the lobby, we chose which exhibits we most wanted to see, sad in the knowledge that we wouldn't be able to take the whole museum in.

The Egyptian exhibit was our first stop. In addition to a full tomb, the collection includes gallery after gallery of sarcophagi, jewelry, household items and sections of walls from all periods of Egypt's history. Every time I said, "Ok, I think I'm Egypted out, lets move on to another exhibit", something around the corner caught my eye. The artifacts just become more and more fascinating as you walk through. Conveniently, bathrooms are in this section.

Eventually we managed to tear ourselves away from Egypt and moved on the Medieval collection. We were fascinated by an Italian artist's studio, (the real thing - light colored wood is painted to emulate a crowded library, period music plays in the background as you marvel at the walls). Another absorbing spot in this wing was a re-constructed chapel. Shimmering collections of stained glass and colorful tapestries made us wonder how in the world you might correct a mistake when making them. Another section featured a Swiss dining room. It's intricately carved dark wood ceilings, windows of thick, clear glass and heavy furniture looked like something from the castle of King Arthur himself.

The Babylonian Palace, surrounded by 4 winged guardians, took our breath away. This and other Near Eastern exhibits added to what we'd learned about the regions' culture from the Ur collection at the Morgan Library.

The Japanese rock garden upstairs was a great place to rest after our tour. Peaceful plant life, waterfalls and even a bridge combine with other elements to make a beautiful refuge.

Hint: The large gift shop here is amazing and fun to browse through. It is, however, very crowded. If you know what period you're most interested in bringing home a token of, stop in the smaller exhibit-specific gift shop near that gallery. It'll save some time. Also, turn off your flash when you take pictures or you'll get yelled at by the guards.

There is so much to see at the Met you could spend an entire day there and still feel that you had not seen everything. I’ve been back twice and seen something new each time. That’s the best way to do it. There are crowds of people and, depending on the time you are in New York, many school groups. Admission is $10.

The Met is home to many impressive works of art from all periods. Sculpture, stained glass, photography, painting, and other decorative arts. My favorite parts of the museum are the Impressionist and Renaissance collections.

My newest discovery was the rooftop Sculpture Garden. The rooftop gallery features a wine and coffee bar and benches for enjoying the sunlight, sculpture and a fantastic view of Central Park and the Midtown skyline.

For more information, check out the Met’s website at www.metmuseum.org.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art houses what is undoubtedly the best and most comprehensive collection of art in the United States. You can literally spend days wandering through its galleries (as did the protagonists of The Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankwaller, as you may remember from your childhold reading). The highlight may be the Impressionist Gallery with rooms dedicated to the likes of Van Gogh, Monet, and Degas. Don't miss the indoor sculpture garden that opens into Central Park or the roof garden which offers spectacular city views, as well as a bit of a singles scene on Friday evenings.