9 of the Top Things To See at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

No Metropolitan Museum of Art guide is complete without mentioning the Temple of Dendur. Located in gallery 131, the Egyptian temple is synonymous with the Met, offering you the rare chance to see an ancient structure, as the Temple was built in the Roman period. As you marvel at this gift from Egypt to the US, pay close attention to the carvings that line the temple: You'll see lotus blossoms, depictions of ancient gods such as Horus, and ankhs as you learn about their cultural significance.

Fans of classical art should be sure to comb through the Met’s comprehensive collection of Greek and Roman art. The museum includes thousands of pieces from this period, covering prehistoric Greece through the ancient Etruscan civilization. Admire the details of terracotta Etruscan vases, Roman bust sculptures, intricately carved Greek grave markers, and more up close in the galleries. The marble statue of a kouros, or youth, is one highlight from the collection, located in gallery 154.

Expect to see knights in armor, swords, antique guns, and more in the Met’s Arms and Armor section. While essential to battle, these objects also served ceremonial and decorative purposes, and the collection highlights the craftsmanship of swordsmiths, armorers, and gunmakers throughout history. See a diverse array of weapons and armor from around the world, with items from Europe, the US, India, Japan, and more.

Insider tip: Don’t miss the rare and antique guns, including a pair of pistols with ivory details in gallery 375 that once belonged to Catherine the Great.

One of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's highlights is the Astor Chinese Garden Court, a 17th-century-style courtyard in gallery 217. The Ming-style garden, which was modeled after a scholar’s courtyard in Suzhou, China, offers a peaceful escape from the city, and from the hustle-and-bustle of the museum itself on a busy day. Meander along the paths at your own pace as you learn about the details that make up a traditional Chinese garden, such as the inclusion of various different kinds of wood and textures.

With so much art from around the world at the Met, it’s easy to overlook the American Wing. But you’d be missing out on some of the best pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including decorative arts such as textiles and furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries, if you did. If you only have time to check out one part of the Wing, the period rooms are a particular treat: In the Frank Lloyd Wright Room in gallery 745, you’ll be transported to a Prairie School–style living room plucked straight out of the Midwest. The famous Washington Crossing the Delaware painting is also on view in this wing.

Some of the most famous art pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art come from the museum’s collection of works by Dutch painters who worked during the 17th century. Discover oil paintings by Frans Hals, Rembrandt van Rijn, Johannes Vermeer, and more. In gallery 616, study the brush strokes of Aristotle with a Bust of Homer up close. Although Vincent van Gogh came along later in the 19th century, his Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat is another must-see Dutch work in the Met's collection.

Venture into more modern art by exploring the Met’s collection of works by French Impressionist and post-Impressionist painters. View iconic art at the Met in New York like Edgar Degas’ The Dance Class in gallery 815 and Claude Monet’s Water Lilies in gallery 822. In gallery 826, you’ll find another famous work, The Card Players by Paul Cézanne.

Insider tip: If you want to learn more about this influential period, the museum offers free guided tours on Impressionism and post-Impressionism.

Before Yesterday We Could Fly is a refreshing spin on a period room and among the top exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Afrofuturist period room focuses on Seneca Village, a predominantly Black community of landowners and residents that was destroyed in 1857 to build Central Park. Unlike the Met’s other period rooms, the exhibition goes beyond being a historically faithful recreation—it's also a speculative one that explores what might have happened had Seneca Village continued to exist.

Depending on the season, once you’ve exhausted yourself visiting the top art collections at the Met NYC, you should head up to the Met's rooftop garden. Not only will you enjoy dazzling views of the city, but you can check out the rotating installations that the Met commissions for the space.

Insider tip: Get a deeper understanding of the Met with a free guided tour, which the museum generally offers several times a day.