Walking Tour: Architecture of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met is one of the world's greatest art museums, if not the greatest, and comprises a staggering two million square feet of floor area. It is also one of New York's great buildings, first opened at its present location in 1880 and added to constantly ever since, most notably with the central section of the Fifth Avenue front between 1894 and 1902. Examine the building both outside and in. On the outside, walk around the perimeter, with looks at the Fifth Avenue front (which was extended by McKim, Mead & White), and around the sides and back to see the numerous additions put on in the 1970s and 1980s. Inside, look at some of the principal spaces: the Great Hall, the Lehman Wing, the Petrie European Sculpture Court, the Roman Sculpture Court, and perhaps more.