Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Metropolitan Museum Guided Group Tour

• Gilded Age Mansions Tour in New York

• "The Met" Metropolitan Museum of Art Exclusive Guided Tour

• 2-hour Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour

• "The Met" Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour Semi-Private 8ppl Max

General admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art costs US$30, while tickets are US$17 for students, US$22 for seniors older than 64, and US$22 for visitors with disabilities. Kids ages 12 and younger get in for free, and New York residents (as well as students in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut) get pay-what-you-wish admission.

Yes, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is definitely worth visiting. Home to one of the world's greatest art collections, the museum showcases everything from ancient American sculptures to the best range of 19th-century French paintings outside of Paris. With a central location on Fifth Avenue, it's also the perfect attraction to see on guided tours of New York City. Cruise past on a Central Park pedicab tour for a photo on the famous front steps, or tour the galleries with an art expert who can show you the highlights among the vast museum's nearly half a million artworks.

Per one customer who booked "The Met" Metropolitan Museum of Art Exclusive Guided Tour, "Was my first time visiting The Met and I'm so thankful I booked this tour! The Met would have been overwhelming alone but Charlie guided our group through with grace & ease so we could explore some of the best exhibits. He struck the perfect balance of informative and entertaining. He brought the art and history to life, gave me a great overall feel for the museum, and really helped me understand what I was looking at. A fantastic experience—I would highly recommend taking a tour with him!"

No, you don’t need a reservation for The Met, unless you’re bringing 10 or more people with you. Tour guides have to secure reservations for their groups, irrespective of group size. If you want to visit one of the museum’s special exhibitions, you’ll likely need to buy a timed admission ticket.

The Met tickets are valid for one day and grant you access to both the main museum, The Met Fifth Avenue, and The Met Cloisters in Upper Manhattan. Tickets are only valid for same-day use, so it’s best to budget at least half a day for both museums.

Yes, you can bring a backpack to The Met, provided it’s a small daypack that you can easily wear on your front or side. Large backpacks, luggage, and food or drinks from outside the museum aren’t allowed inside the galleries, though you can take in a bottle of water.

The price of parking at The Met varies depending on the time of your arrival and how long you stay. It ranges from US$19 for up to an hour, after 5pm to US$55 for 24 hours. Discounted rates are available for members. Parking at The Met Cloisters is free.

You’ll need around three hours to see the best of The Met, but you can easily spend much longer exploring the museum, home to more than 2 million works of art. If you’re in a rush, take a tour of the highlights or opt for the 1-hour tour that the museum operates.

The best day to visit The Met is on Friday or Saturday, when the museum stays open until 9pm—it closes at 5pm on other days of the week. The Met is often less crowded in the evening, when you’ll have more time to see the galleries or head up to The Met Cloisters.

There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in New York City:

• Statue of Liberty

• Empire State Building

• Ellis Island

• Central Park

• National September 11 Memorial & Museum

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in New York City.