The Cloisters Museum is one of the official branches of the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art – sight #6) located in the Upper Manhattan.  It’s primarily focused on the Medieval European art, sculpture and architecture mostly from the 12th-15th centuries.  The building itself was constructed from parts of several medieval abbeys imported mainly from France.

Among its most interesting art pieces, are the stained glass panels, some of which date back to the early 3rd century; some exceptionally rare illuminated books and manuscripts from the 14th century; as well as several thousands of Medieval art works, such as religious objects, statues and paintings.  Other beautiful sights include the Cloister’s Garden, the Fuentidueña Chapel, The Romanesque Hall, The Lagon Chapel and the Gothic Chapel with its beautiful stained glass windows as well as four medieval tombs (also imported from Europe).

The building itself is a beautiful work of art, that resembles a ‘castle’ and is located on top of a hill, in the Fort Tryon Park.  In addition to the Cloisters, the park offers some amazing views over the Hudson River, the George Washington Bridge, as well as the Bronx (one of NYC’s five boroughs).

About the Museum

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. Every day, art comes alive in the Museum’s galleries and through its exhibitions and events, revealing new ideas and unexpected connections across time and across cultures.

Mission Statement

The Met was founded on April 13, 1870, “to be located in the City of New York, for the purpose of establishing and maintaining in said city a Museum and library of art, of encouraging and developing the study of the fine arts, and the application of arts to manufacture and practical life, of advancing the general knowledge of kindred subjects, and, to that end, of furnishing popular instruction.”

This statement of purpose has guided the Museum for over 140 years.

On January 13, 2015, the Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art reaffirmed this statement of purpose and supplemented it with the following statement of mission:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art collects, studies, conserves, and presents significant works of art across all times and cultures in order to connect people to creativity, knowledge, and ideas.