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Take a Virtual Trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met Unframed is an immersive virtual art and gaming experience.

video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

Going on a museum tour has been difficult, if not impossible, for many people around the world during the ongoing pandemic . Luckily, virtual museum tours are available at institutions around the globe.

On Tuesday, The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced its collaboration with Verizon to on The Met Unframed , an immersive virtual art and gaming experience.

The Met Unframed includes nearly 50 works of art in the Met's collection, organized in digitally rendered galleries to peruse as you please.

"Our mission since The Met's founding 150 years ago has been to connect people to art and ideas, and to one another — something we've found to be more powerful than ever over these last months of isolation and uncertainty," said Max Hollein, Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, in a statement. " The Met Unframed brings the Museum to audiences wherever they are in an innovative viewing experience in which users can virtually visit iconic spaces and engage with The Met's masterpieces, learn more about the works in a playful way through AR, and enjoy bringing the art into one's own surroundings."

Customers who have 5G capabilities on their devices can especially appreciate this new experience. While the tour works on all devices with 4G, those who have upgraded to the new platform (which hosts a higher bandwidth) can access special features and interactions. All users can move around the galleries to see the art, and even "unlock" it to "borrow" the art for 15 minutes. This feature allows the app to unlock your phone's camera so you can digitally "hang," or project, the art on your wall.

But those with 5G capabilities can also access four special pieces of art in the museum that will "come to life" while projecting the art into whatever room they're in, making the new tour a truly new way to see and appreciate art.

Some of the highlights of this virtual experience include renderings of The Met Cloisters' Unicorn Tapestries, Jackson Pollock's Autumn Rhythm , Vincent Van Gogh's Wheatfield with Cypresses , Emanuel Leutze's Washington Crossing the Delaware , five paintings by Jacob Lawrence, and massive works from the Temple of Dendur in Egypt.

You can open the application by scanning the QR code from The Met Unframed desktop site or open the website directly on your mobile device.

More information can be found on The Metropolitan Museum of Art website .

Correction: The original version of this story stated The Met Unframed was exclusively for Verizon customers. Anyone with any provider can access The Met Unframed.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Visitors Guide

This Iconic New York City Art Museum Has Something for Everyone

TripSavvy / Kelsea Watkins 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

One of New York City's most popular tourist attractions , the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes 7.35 million visitors a year. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and special exhibits offer something for everyone -- from Ancient Egyptian vases and Roman Statues to Tiffany stained glass and Rembrandt paintings there is something for nearly everyone. If you're overwhelmed by the sheer size and breadth of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, take a Highlights Tour .

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The contents of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection represent a diversity of age, medium and geographic origin. The Egyptian Art collection includes pieces from 300,000 B.C. – 4th century A.D. Other elements of the permanent collection include Musical Instruments, Modern Art, and The Cloisters . To get a better idea of the variety and breadth of the over 2 million pieces of art that are part of the Met's collection, consult their website's Collection information, which includes a searchable database as well as online galleries of highlights from the various departments.

The collections of the Metropolitan Museum attract more visitors than any other attraction in New York City, 7.35 million per year. It is impossible to see the entire collection in one day, or even in a few days, so I recommend you choose an area or two of interest, or take the Museum Highlights Tour, which occurs throughout the day, starting around 10:15 a.m.

Notable Works: With such an extensive and comprehensive collection of art, it is difficult to pick out the highlights, however, the Met's website offers several suggested itineraries that highlight ways to take in a selection of the Museum's offerings.

Tips For Visiting

  • The museum hosts frequent special exhibits, and they can draw very large crowds, especially near the end of their run if they are popular and have gotten a lot of press. If you're trying to see an exhibit before it closes, consider arriving early in the day and visiting on a weekday if possible to reduce the likelihood you'll be stuck in line waiting and/or battling crowds for a decent view.
  • If you're visiting the museum with kids, consider one of their programs for children and families.
  • When the weather is nice, don't miss the chance to take a break on the roof to see the latest installation and even have a cocktail if you'd like.
  • There's no way to see the whole place in a single visit, so I recommend having each member of your party pick out an exhibit to explore and/or take a tour.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Tours:

  • Museum Highlights Tours : Offered throughout the day, these volunteer led one hour tours are a great introduction to the Museum's collections (free with admission)
  • Gallery Talks : These one hour talks focus on the contents of a single gallery (free with admission)
  • Audio Guides : Get detailed information at your own pace and on pieces of your choice (not all pieces are included), including the Museum's permanent collection and special exhibitions ($7, $6 for members, $5 for children under 12)

Getting to the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

  • Address: 1000 Fifth Avenue ( Upper East Side Map )
  • Cross Streets: 5th Avenue and 82th Street
  • Nearest Subways: Take the 4/5/6 to 86th Street. Walk west to 5th Avenue and then south to 82th Street.

Metropolitan Museum of Art Basics:

  • Official Website: http://www.metmuseum.org

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The Met as Seen by a Longtime Guard and Author

Join the author of  All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me  (“Exquisite… A beautiful tale about beauty” – The Washington Post) as he sheds new light on familiar masterpieces and reveals wonders of the Met hidden in plain sight.  

Millions of people climb the grand marble staircase to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art every year. But only a select few have unrestricted access to every nook and cranny. They’re the guards who roam unobtrusively in dark blue suits, keeping a watchful eye on the two million square foot treasure house. 

Patrick Bringley spent a decade in the Met’s galleries, guarding delicate treasures from Egypt to Rome, strolling the labyrinths of the museum’s backstage, and enjoying the lively subculture of over five hundred museum guards. Join him as he shares surprising, inspiring information and insights about “one museum, the works collected there and the people who keep it running — all recounted by an especially patient observer” (The New York Times).

Upcoming Dates: Saturday, March 23rd at 2 pm – Sold Out Sunday, April 14th at 12 pm – Sold Out

Book online now!

Patrick is thrilled to be back in the galleries after the publication of  All the Beauty in the World ,  published in February 2023  by Simon & Schuster and in translated editions around the world. Patrick has been featured in The New Yorker, CBS News, ABC News, NPR, the Guardian, the Times of London, and many other outlets. He has spent countless hours discussing the Met’s collections with all types of people and is as engaging a storyteller as he is a writer.

The Tour The tour lasts 90-120 minutes and winds through at least six of the Met’s curatorial departments, including Greek and Roman Art, Egyptian Art, Asian Art, Medieval Art, and European Paintings. Before you enter the museum, you will gaze at its four-city-block-long facade and learn about the Met’s 150-year history, its architectural peculiarities, and fascinating details of its operations that Patrick knows firsthand.

As you walk through the galleries, you will be treated to several narrative threads about the Met, expertly interwoven. You will hear:

  • Information about the work of the Met’s staff of more than 2,000 employees
  • Revealing and funny stories from Patrick’s long hours of people-watching
  • The startling and diverse backstories of masterpieces and the people who produced them
  • Insights into the special beauty and meaning of art, gleaned from a decade of close observation

The Met Museum Tour Highlights:

  • Discussing the Egyptian conception of time before a two-thousand-year-old Egyptian temple (with two-hundred-year-old graffiti)
  • Coming face to face with an ancient head of Hermes that was once stolen from the Met and hidden at Grand Central Terminal
  • Learning how oil paintings are “constructed” by looking closely at an unfinished Albrecht Durer masterpiece
  • Spending time in a 17th-century Chinese scholar’s garden and hearing how a guard is reconstructing a piece of it in his home in West Africa

Here’s what people are saying about the tour:

“I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the Insider’s tour of the Met on Sunday. It was so different than other museum tours I’ve been on because of the guide’s perspective as a former museum guard. He was also very articulate and entertaining.” “We enjoyed Patrick’s tour of the Met. He was easy to listen to and had many interesting stories and insights to the art, architecture and people associated with the museum. We recommend this tour!” – Bowery Boys Walks guests

video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

Walking Tour: Regular Price: $75 (includes $28 admission to the museum) Senior Price (65+): $65 (includes $20 admission to the museum) Student Price: $55 (includes $12 admission to the museum)

Note about Met Members and NYC residents: The  Met’s official policy is that anyone taking a tour with a guide has to pay the group price admission fee. There is no distinction between New York citizens, donors, members, etc. “Membership benefits and other passes are not valid for group admission.”

Also, because of the mandatory Met tickets, no promo or discount codes can be used for this special tour.

Please contact us  to set up a private tour!

Walking Tour:  Around 90 minutes to 2 hours (we will send the meeting place when you sign up)

This tour is best suited for precocious teens and older

Your Guide: Patrick Bringley , a former museum guard at The Met and author of All the Beauty in the World :  The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me .

Prep for the Met Museum Tour by listening to Bowery Boys episode #341  “The Metropolitan Museum of Art: 150 Years of History on Display.”

How Our Tours Work

All of our tours are private, not public. So the tour is arranged just for you and yours.

  • We recommend using our online booking tool for up-to-date availability.
  • Select your tour experience and set your preferred date and time.
  • Our booking system will help you select the right guide from our team of art historians based on the guides' availability.
  • Tell us a bit about your interests and private group. We'll customize your tour from there.
  • Your confirmation will show where the guide will meet you at the museum.
  • Private tours for 1 - 4 people in your group booked online* are $225 per hour (a $5 discount over tours booked via email or phone).
  • All tours have a two-hour minimum.
  • Additional people and/or additional time have an additional fee.
  • Museum admission needs to be added for each person. This will be added during your booking.
  • We'll get your tickets ahead of time for you. So you can skip the lines!

Prefer a personalized booking experience?

* For those who need a bit more service via email and phone, our pricing is $225 per hour for 1 – 4 people. Larger groups are $50 per adult, $25 per child.

Real Art Historians, not scripted actors

ART SMART's art guides are primarily graduate-level professional art historians from top universities who have their fingers on the pulse of the art world.

Instagram STREAM

Tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art

ART SMART helps navigate through the countless epochs and geographic areas by crafting a tour that incorporates only the art objects that most interest you

Private Guided Tours of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Looking for a Met tour? The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the largest and most impressive art museums in the world. With dozens of galleries filled with American, European, Egyptian, Asian, Modern and Contemporary, and Ancient art (plus rotating exhibitions), there is no end of things to see and do on your Met tour. It is the perfect NYC museum to explore if you want to get a broad selection of the finest art.

A private, guided tour with ART SMART makes the Met more manageable and memorable. Whether you are on your own or traveling with friends, colleagues, or family, our professional art historian guides will take you off the beaten path of the standard tour and straight to the collections and exhibitions that will appeal to you and your companions.

Museum Details

Sunday–Thursday 10:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.

Admission $22 per adult, $15 per senior, and $10 per child.

Book Yours Now

2. select tour length.

3. Booking Summary

4. payment details, pricing questions.

Private tours for 1 – 4 people in your group booked online* start at $225 per hour (a 5% discount over tours booked via email or phone). All tours have a two-hour minimum. Additional people and/or additional time have an additional fee. Museum admission needs to be added for each person. This is added during your booking. We will get your tickets ahead of time for you. So you can skip the lines!

* For those who need a bit more service via email and phone, our pricing begins at $225 per hour for 1 – 4 people. Larger groups are $50 per adult, $25 per child.

Description.

Our Met Museum Private Tours

How to look at art.

Looking at Art

A History of Western Art Tour

A History of Western Art at the Met

Top 10 Things You Should Know About Art Tour

Top 10 Things You Should Know About Art

Highlights Tour

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video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

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A Romantic Tour around The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Hidden Treasures Tour

Our Hidden Treasures

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Get the Full Picture

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VIP Before-Hours Tours

Take a before hours tour at the MET

Celebration of Love Wedding Tour at The Met in NYC

Bride Bachlorette

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Gems and Jewels

Custom Met Tour

Custom Met Tour NYC

The Met Museum and Frick Old Masters Tour

The Met Museum and Frick Old Masters Tour

Secret Stories of Color Tour

met museum color private tour

‘Tis the Season Holiday Tour

met christmas tree

Perspectives

Museums without men at the met, abstraction, representing the female body, harlem is everywhere , a new podcast from the met, defying gravity, at the reception, emel mathlouthi: fi kolli yawmen | metlivearts.

Emel Mathlouthi's viral anthem of the Arab Spring earned her the title “voice of the Tunisian revolution.”

Museums Without Men : Wangechi Mutu

Explore series, metkids microscope, the artist project, frame of mind, women’s history, from the archives, the sounds of the block, yves saint laurent: when fashion meets art, picasso on stein.

See more in From the Archives

In Circulation

Library date night, collapsing space and time, library study tour.

See more in In Circulation

Browse by topic

Asian american & pacific islander heritage, behind the scenes, black history, for families, native american and indigenous heritage, public space, social change.

IMAGES

  1. HIGHLIGHTS TOUR of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the MET)

    video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

  2. 360 Tour of the The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

  3. Billets et visites guidées pour le Metropolitan Museum of Art de New

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  4. New York Metropolitan Museum Of Art Virtual Tour

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  5. Experience at The Metropolitan Museum of Art Tour New York City

    video tour of the metropolitan museum of art

  6. Visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art

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COMMENTS

  1. The Met 360° Project

    The Met 360° Project. This award-winning series of six short videos invites viewers around the world to virtually visit The Met's art and architecture in a fresh, immersive way. Created using spherical 360° technology, it allows viewers to explore some of the Museum's iconic spaces as never before. Viewed more than 11 million times, this ...

  2. HIGHLIGHTS TOUR of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the MET)

    The MET houses over 2 Million works of art, so where do you even start? You should start here. By watching this video. If you'd like a guide to to walk you t...

  3. [4k] New York Metropolitan Museum of Art Highlights

    Experience the best of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City with Walking Archive's immersive walking tour. Explore medieval armor, sculpture, and ...

  4. A World of Art: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Founded in 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is a three dimensional encyclopedia of art history. Produced for Public Television by Great...

  5. The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism

    Exhibition Video Tour. Join Dr. Denise M. Murrell, Merryl H. and James S. Tisch Curator at Large in The Met's Director's Office, for a virtual tour of the groundbreaking exhibition The Harlem Renaissance and Transatlantic Modernism.

  6. MetTours

    MetTours. Explore the vast world of art and culture through the lens of various viewpoints in programs ranging from gallery tours to storytelling sessions and interactive experiences with works of art. MetTours connects you with works of art, with curators, conservators, educators, and artists alike guiding you through the collection and ...

  7. Take a Virtual Trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art

    Take a Virtual Trip to The Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met Unframed is an immersive virtual art and gaming experience. By. Andrea Romano. Published on January 15, 2021. A patron looks at ...

  8. Metropolitan Museum of Art Visitors Guide

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Address. 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA. Phone +1 212-535-7710. Web Visit website. One of New York City's most popular tourist attractions, the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomes 7.35 million visitors a year. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection and special exhibits offer something for everyone ...

  9. Metropolitan Museum of Art Highlights Tour

    Private tours for 1 - 4 people in your group booked online* start at $225 per hour (a 5% discount over tours booked via email or phone). All tours have a two-hour minimum. Additional people and/or additional time have an additional fee. Museum admission needs to be added for each person. This is added during your booking.

  10. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

    Explore the Met with me. Today's visit includes works by Degas, Matisse, Monet, Picasso, and much more. Watch all of our museum visits at https://www.youtube...

  11. An Insider's Tour of the Met Museum

    Rates. Walking Tour: Regular Price: $75 (includes $28 admission to the museum) Senior Price (65+): $65 (includes $20 admission to the museum) Student Price: $55 (includes $12 admission to the museum) Note about Met Members and NYC residents: The Met's official policy is that anyone taking a tour with a guide has to pay the group price admission fee. There is no distinction between New York ...

  12. NYC: Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)

    16 San Diego. 17 St. Augustine, Florida. 18 Everglades City. 19 Niagara Falls, USA. 20 Phoenix. New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art attracts nearly as many visitors as other leading galleries like the Louvre or the British Museum. On this tour you'll be able to skip the line & explore it's most famous pieces with the help of an engaging ...

  13. Highlights

    Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat (obverse: The Potato Peeler) STOP 7. Damascus Room. STOP 8. Marble column from the Temple of Artemis at Sardis. STOP 9. Buddha of Medicine Bhaishajyaguru (Yaoshi fo) Explore some of The Met's collection highlights in this one hour tour.

  14. The 17 Most Famous Paintings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

    According to the Official Archives of the Tate Museum, "From the Dutch 'de nieuwe beelding', neoplasticism basically means new art (painting and sculpture are plastic arts). It is also applied to the work of the De Stijl circle of artists, at least up to Mondrian's secession from the group in 1923."

  15. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City Virtual Tour

    Have you ever wondered what is was like inside the greatest museum in America, if not the world?? Come with me on a Virtual Tour of New York City's FAMED AN...

  16. Videos

    Fran Lebowitz: Pretend It's a Museum. Fran Lebowitz goes behind-the-scenes to The Met's Paintings Conservation Lab to see Rembrandt's Aristotle with a Bust of Homer (1653) . Fran Lebowitz Nov 9, 2023. Watch videos on art, history, science, life and more that will inspire you.

  17. Metropolitan Museum of Art self-guided audio tour

    Discover the Met on a self-guided audio tour to take a unique trip around the world and back in time, through thousands of pieces of priceless art!

  18. A Walk Inside The Metropolitan Museum Of Art

    A walk inside the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Selected works of art photographed. How many do you recognize?

  19. Guided Tours

    Guided Tours. Discover works of art that span 5,000 years of art and culture across the diverse Met collection. Join engaging, hour-long tours with Museum-trained volunteers at 11:30 am, and 12:30 and 2:30 pm daily. Spanish and French tours are also available. All tours depart from the Vélez Blanco Patio, Gallery 534.

  20. Collection Tour: Fashion in Art

    Details. Spend an hour in deep exploration of part of The Met collection, from ancient Egyptian art to French Impressionist paintings, Islamic textiles, or the work of contemporary artists. Note: Space is limited; first come, first served. Tours depart from Gallery 534, Vélez Blanco Patio.

  21. Metropolitan Museum of Art

    The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City is one of the largest and most impressive art museums in the world. With dozens of galleries filled with American, European, Egyptian, Asian, Modern and Contemporary, and Ancient art (plus rotating exhibitions), there is no end of things to see and do on your Met tour.

  22. Plan Your Visit

    Open today 10 am-5 pm. Hours: Sunday-Tuesday and Thursday: 10 am-5 pm. Extended Hours: Friday and Saturday: 10 am-9 pm. Closed: Wednesday. Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1, and the first Monday in May.

  23. Let's Take A Field Trip to The Met Museum of Art!

    A virtual field trip with Mrs. Hartley to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City!

  24. Perspectives

    Perspectives is The Met's home for deep dives on art, interviews, personal essays, scientific discoveries, and more.