Met Cloisters | Manhattan

The Met Cloisters is a unique branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated to the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe. Located in Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan, the museum is built in the style of a European medieval monastery and houses one of the world’s finest collections of medieval art. It offers a serene and immersive experience that feels worlds apart from the busy streets of New York City.

Overview

Full Name: The Met Cloisters (officially: The Cloisters, a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art)

Location: 99 Margaret Corbin Drive, Fort Tryon Park, Manhattan

Opened: 1938

Focus: Medieval art and architecture (12th to 15th centuries), primarily from France and Spain

Setting: Overlooks the Hudson River, surrounded by gardens inspired by medieval designs

History and Architecture

The museum was conceived and constructed to house the Met's growing collection of medieval art, funded by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., who also donated land in Fort Tryon Park and acquired many of the initial pieces.

Design:

The building incorporates architectural elements from five European cloisters (from France and Spain), disassembled and shipped to New York in the early 20th century.

These include:

Saint-Guilhem Cloister

Trie-sur-Baïse Cloister

Bonnefont Cloister

Cuxa Cloister

Froville Cloister

Rather than recreate a specific monastery, the architects designed an idealized and harmonious space, blending authentic medieval elements with modern construction.

The result is a museum that is itself a major architectural artifact, offering the quietude, stonework, and spatial flow typical of monastic life in the Middle Ages.

Collections

The Met Cloisters houses over 5,000 objects dating from the 9th to the 16th centuries, with a strong emphasis on religious art and artifacts from Western Europe.

Highlights:

The Unicorn Tapestries – A stunning series of seven 15th-century Flemish tapestries depicting a symbolic hunt for a unicorn. These are among the museum’s most famous and mysterious works, rich in allegory and detail.

The Merode Altarpiece – A triptych by the workshop of Robert Campin, one of the great early Netherlandish painters. It represents the Annunciation in a detailed domestic interior.

Stained Glass from the Abbey of Saint-Denis – Some of the finest examples of early Gothic stained glass, originally from the burial place of French kings.

Manuscripts and Illuminations – Exquisitely illustrated pages from medieval books of hours, Bibles, and liturgical texts.

Sculpture – Including capitals, friezes, effigies, and religious statuary from churches and abbeys across Europe.

Ivories, Metalwork, and Reliquaries – Intricately crafted objects used in devotion or church rituals, such as jeweled crosses, chalices, and carved ivory diptychs.

Gardens

One of the defining features of The Met Cloisters is its medieval gardens, meticulously planted based on historical texts and botanical studies.

Trie Cloister Garden: Features medicinal and culinary herbs typical of a medieval monastic garden.

Bonnefont Herb Garden: Includes over 250 species of plants grown in the Middle Ages.

Cuxa Cloister Garden: Ornamental flowers and trees arranged in a formal medieval layout with a central fountain.

The gardens are not just decorative; they reflect the spiritual and practical life of monastic communities, with plants used for healing, dyeing, cooking, and symbolism.

Atmosphere and Experience

Unlike other major museums in the city, The Met Cloisters offers a quiet, contemplative atmosphere. The museum is purposefully dimly lit, echoing the candle-lit chapels and halls of medieval Europe. Visitors walk through stone corridors and enclosed courtyards, often accompanied by Gregorian chant or early music playing softly in the background.

The Hudson River views from the surrounding Fort Tryon Park and the museum’s terraces are another highlight, particularly during spring and autumn.

Access and Practical Information

Hours: Open daily except Wednesdays; closed on major holidays

Admission: Pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents and students from NY, NJ, and CT

Transportation: Accessible by subway (A train to 190th Street, then a short walk through Fort Tryon Park), bus, or car

Visitor Services: Includes a gift shop, audio tours, and educational materials, but no café (nearest food is in nearby neighborhoods)

Conclusion

The Met Cloisters is one of New York City’s most exceptional cultural experiences—transporting visitors into the art, spirituality, and daily life of the medieval world. With its unmatched setting, world-class collection, and meditative ambiance, it serves as both a museum and a retreat, inviting quiet reflection and deeper appreciation of medieval Europe’s artistic and architectural legacy.