Situated on Central Park at 82nd Street and only a few blocks from other legendary art museums like the Guggenheim and Whitney Museum of American Art, The Met is the world’s third largest museum and houses an absolutely gigantic collection that spans more than 5,000 years and includes two million pieces of art!

The museum is divided into seventeen different curatorial departments and it goes without saying that it can be quite difficult to see all the museum has to offer on one visit. One really has to choose what aspects of the museum interest them the most or dedicate several full days to exploring the museum.

History lovers will definitely enjoy the Egyptian antiquities section with its restored temples and giant sculptures taken straight from the Sahara. Likewise the Greek and Roman section has a host of artwork and statues that give even the Louvre a run for its money.

The classic works of the European Masters can be seen in the European paintings section, while contemporary art can be found in the modern art section.

Admission to the museum is donation based, with the recommended donation $25 per person. The good news is that it’s possible to save money by donating less on subsequent visits, therefore making it possible to take in even more the museum has to offer. Closed on Mondays, the museum stays open late—until 9 p.m.—on Fridays and Saturdays.

Guests staying at the boutique hotel The MAve on Madison Avenue will want to take the 6 train from 28th Street to 86th Street. The entire journey from the hotel to world-class art should only take about 15 minutes.

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The Big Apple Greeter is an innovative service, as this non-profit pairs up travelers with local, volunteer tour guides who provide in-depth looks at neighborhoods from a local’s perspective. The service accepts groups from 1-6 persons and requests should be made in advance, but it’s a great way to see the city with a friendly native.

No article on NYC is complete without at least a cursory mention of Central Park. An oasis of greenery in the center of the city, Central Park is more than just a luxury to the denizens of the city, but it is instead an absolute necessity for escaping the concrete jungle. The Central Park Conservancy offers a wide number of free walking tours to explore the park’s 850 acres of woodland, lawns and water. Examples of tours include the Belvedere Castle tour, a Revolutionary War history tour and an “art of the park” tour.

Another fun and free walking tour is offered by the Grand Central Partnership. Every Friday at 12:30 p.m. the partnership offers guided 90-minute tours of the famed Grand Central Terminal in Midtown. The busiest train station in the country, the Grand Central Terminal is also quite historic and the tours are led by volunteer urban historians.

The staff at our boutique Manhattan hotel The MAve will be happy to provide more information on the various ways visitors can explore the city. After all, we want our guests to have the best stay in NYC possible and to return again and again, and maybe even tell their friends!

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The Frick Collection on Fifth Avenue and 71st Street is known for its large collection of paintings by the European masters and for its 18th century France-inspired décor. This private collection was assembled by the industrialist Henry Frick and is housed in his former residence. It was opened to the public in 1935 and is well worth a visit for fans of romanticism of realism.

A bit north of the Frick Collection, on Madison Avenue and 75th Street, is the Whitney Museum of American Art. As its name suggests, this museum is dedicated to showcasing only the best of American artists. Expect to see works from American greats like Georgia O’Keeffe and Norman Rockwell.

Situated in Central Park at 82nd Street is New York’s largest art museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met, as it’s affectionately called, houses an absolutely gigantic collection of classical art, contemporary art, and artifacts from the ancient world. Its Egyptian antiquities section is particularly impressive, as is its collection of expressionist art. It’s virtually impossible to see everything in one visit, so be prepared to skip over some sections entirely.

Finally, just a few blocks north of the Met, there is the Guggenheim Museum. The museum was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright and is perhaps one of the few museums whose exterior is more famous than its art collection. That doesn’t mean, however, that it’s art collection is lacking, because it most certainly is not. Expect to find only the most highly acclaimed pieces from the world’s most celebrated artists. E.g. Kandinsky, Picasso, Renoir, Matisse, Manet and Monet, to name but a few.

The Upper East Side and its museums are easily accessible from our NYC boutique hotel The Mave in Midtown thanks to the city’s excellent transportation system. On the subway just hop on the 6 uptown from 28th Street station and get off 15 minutes later at 68th Street, a few blocks from the Frick.

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