Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour
5
Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour
By Walks
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About
In the grand Metropolitan Museum of Art, it’s easy to get lost, or to spend hours looking for the exhibits you’d like to see most. On this guided tour, you won’t waste time wandering aimlessly. Bypass the chaos of the entrance lines with a skip-the-line admission ticket, and head inside where your guide’s packed agenda leads you to the top highlights of the museum’s collections in just a few hours. You can also upgrade to an extended tour to see as much as possible.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 15 per group
Duration: 2–3 hours
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Highlights
- Avoid waiting in the long lines at the museum entrance
- Your guide leads you through the collection highlights
- Choose between two tour lengths, depending on your availability
- Enjoy the city views from the Met’s rooftop garden (October to May only)
- Admission ticket to Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET)
- Local guide
- Small groups of only 15 people or fewer
- Entry/Admission - The Metropolitan Museum of Art
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Meet your Metropolitan Museum of Art tour guide in front of the museum. Use your skip-the-line ticket to avoid the crowds waiting to get in. Your tour begins in the Ancient Egypt section of the museum. From here, you see the armor of King Henry VIII, the Antioch Chalice, and ancient Greek and Roman artifacts. Your guide describes the history and significance of each artifact in the collection as you go. Next, view masterpieces by European masters such as Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, and Auguste Rodin before heading up to the rooftop garden to take in sweeping views over Central Park. If you’ve chosen the longer tour time, continue through areas of Dutch, Italian, and Spanish paintings by artists such as Rembrandt and El Greco. When your tour ends, you can stay and explore the Met on your own, or continue on your New York City adventure.
- Start:
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USAPlease arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at 1000 5th Ave (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). Meet in the main lobby to the right of the information desk in front of the large seated Pharaoh.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 7167METEXPRESS- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- The tour meeting time is 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows.
- A bag check is available. Please allow extra time and check your items prior to joining the tour.
- Galleries and artwork visited during this tour are subject to closure and absences without prior notice. Your guide may need to modify to account for these events on the day of the tour.
- Those requiring wheelchair access into the museum will need to enter the museum to the left of the main entrance (while facing it) where a ground level entrance is located. Please inform the staff you are meeting a tour group in the main lobby.
- Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.
- Non-flash photography is allowed. However but cannot be used inside the Museum. Selfie sticks are also prohibited. Please note there is a security check before entering the building that can take up to 15 minutes.
- Walks / Devour complies with all local government regulations. Please refer to local government guidelines for the most up-to-date information.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 7167METEXPRESS
From
$65.00
per adult
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Itinerary
- 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USAPlease arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a green Walks sign. This tour meets at 1000 5th Ave (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). Meet in the main lobby to the right of the information desk in front of the large seated Pharaoh.
- 1Walk up the hallowed steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a New York icon since its founding in 1870. This world-renowned institution boasts a collection of more than 2 million objects, from Roman artifacts to 19th-century paintings. Your guide leads you by models of Egyptian tombs to the Temple of Dendur, which dates to 15 BC. Cross over to Tudor-era England to check out King Henry VIII's suit of armor, and hear the legends that surround the Antioch Chalice—believed to be the Holy Grail. Meander through the Greek and Roman statuary, absorbing the sense of history as you admire ancient frescoes and the busts of emperors past. Hear about the scandal behind John Singer Sargent's Madame X and enjoy the highlights—and even a few hidden gems—of the Met, with a knowledgeable art expert guide to lead the way. This guided Met tour is the best way to take advantage of the riches that are inside one of the world’s greatest art museums, chose between the 2 hour or 3 hour options.
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- T7893DXmeredithm0 contributionsGrand Central Tour with Joe - highly recommend!Such a great tour lead by Joe - he was a wealth of knowledge and we had the best time! Highly recommend doing this whether you’re a local or in town visiting.Written January 20, 2025
- The_Treasure_Fleet0 contributionsGreat tour of the history and architecture of Grand Central Terminal. Thank youInformative and fun tour. Definitely recommend to learn more about Grand Central and its role in the growth and development of NYCWritten January 20, 2025
- CarolAnnMcCormick0 contributionsJoe is the best at GCTWonderful guide, Joe. Informative and Joe has engaging personality. Terrific to take time to look! Thank you Joe for leading the way!Written January 18, 2025
- Resort3130370 contributionsA must do oneOur guide Joe was awesome. He was friendly and very considerate - he always looked for sunny spots in the freezing cold when explaining things . He documented everything with pictures he carried with him in binders. He made this visite really worthwhile doing. Highly recommend this tour with Joe !!Written January 17, 2025
- Roland B0 contributionsCharlie our guide was fantastic. He had a great way to make the tour a truly special experience for everyone.Interesting, entertaining. A great tour through a wonderful museum. This was a fun way to have a look at one of the world’s greatest museums without getting lost or hung up.Written January 12, 2025
- Christine and R... C0 contributionsJanuary 2025 tour with LBWe had an amazing tour today with Lizabanks/LB. She really knew so much about the Grand Central Terminal and its history. It is such a beautiful place and we recommend taking this tour. Thanks LB from us AussiesWritten January 11, 2025
- Venture071157833930 contributionsGreat guide but limited area that can be accessedLizabanks was amazing! I wish the tour included other areas like tracks and tennis courts but guide did the best with what she had to work with! Very knowledgeable and easy to listen to. Thank youWritten January 11, 2025
- DarrenLye0 contributionsA Stroll Through Grand CentralOur tour guide Mike, was excellent. Very friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable. Grand Central Terminal is one of the jewels of Manhattan, and my wife and I enjoyed learning more about it.Written January 9, 2025
- Marste910 contributionsOutstanding ExperienceLiving in the tri-state area, I have passed through GCT hundreds of times and always wanted to take this tour. Our experience was outstanding. LB was a superb and very memorable guide. The 90 minutes were well paced and provided us with a lot of history and fun facts. I highly recommend this to anyone, whether you are local or visiting the NY area.Written January 9, 2025
- charleys2500 contributionsBest tour guide ever!Seriously, we go on a lot of tours like this and we have never had a better guide. So knowledgeable about Grand Central. She made it interesting and fun. She had a wonderful sense of humor. We wish the tour was longer. Thank you.Written January 9, 2025
- Reg B0 contributionsExcellent Knowledge of subjectJoseph has a brilliant knowledge on both Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty. He is entertaining and engaging and was able to answer all questionsWritten January 8, 2025
- sandraz4840 contributionsGreat tour!We had a great time. The tour guide was very fun & shared lots of interesting information. Grand Central Terminal is beautiful & learning its background was very cool!Written January 8, 2025
- thatcherk20250 contributionsGreat tour, Great guideAbsolutely fabulous tour. Our guide knew exactly how to efficiently navigate the crowds in order to minimize waiting for things. Mindy had great insights as a local to New York. She had great things to say with every question I threw at here, even unrelated to the tour topic. Also she had some great recommendations for restaurants and other things to do in New York.Written January 7, 2025
- Rabbert_E0 contributionsEnjoyable TourHad a good time on the tour and I thought our tour guide JF did a great job. I went for the express two hour tour because I wanted to fit another museum in later that day. Unfortunately the ferry lines were very long and took up about an hour of the tour just to get to the island. Also the ferry goes from Liberty Island to Ellis Island before going back to Manhattan, so if it is a busy day it can be very difficult to get off Ellis Island without waiting out on the pier for another hour (in the cold and wind). The ferries would show up full from Liberty Island and couldn’t take anyone from Ellis Island. A warning about this possible situation would have been nice but overall I still had a good time and enjoyed the tour museums on both Islands.Written January 6, 2025
- Travelmcc0 contributionsMust do tour when in NYCHands down the best tour with the best tour guide. Thank you Collin for being such an engaging and knowledgeable guide. Great way to learn about American history and how it connects with Grand Central.Written January 6, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
369 reviews
Excellent
340
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15
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5
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5
DoxyandTravelLover
Salem, OR140 contributions
Feb 2020
We took the extended tour. Katie did a great job of guiding us through the highlights of the Met - with knowledge, story-telling, facts and humor! She made the 3+ hours fly by and we wished we could tour with her longer, She really made the art and artists come alive. She went above and beyond at the end of the tour, giving directions and walking each group of people to where they wanted to go next. What a treasure - both the Met and Katie! Highly recommend this company and tour!
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so glad that you had such a wonderful tour of the Met with Katie! Thank you for your review. :)
Written March 22, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alicia W
2 contributions
Mar 2020 • Family
This tour is fantastic. Kevin was incredibly knowledgable and tied in the influences of art through history. He asked specifically what we were interested in viewing. After the tour he guided us to a specific area of the museum we wanted to explore further. My only complaint is with TRIP ADVISOR!!. The day of the tour they had shown the tour to be cancelled!!!! We went there anyway only to find it had not. We were extremely fortunate that when I called the tour they were able to contact the tour guide directly, and he came and retrieved us. Thanks so much!!! That’s excellent service.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Excellent service is what we strive for here at Walks. We are so glad that you got to join us despite this mishap; Thank you for your kind review and thank you for choosing Walks!
Written March 22, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Mustafa K
Amsterdam, The Netherlands4 contributions
Oct 2022
I would highly recommend anyone visiting New York to experience this amazing museum with a well-dedicated guide. Katie was a fantastic guide. She enhanced the experience by sharing stories. Those stories helped me to gain a different perspective on the art displayed in the museum.
Written November 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott M
1 contribution
Katie was an incredible guide! Even though the tour was three hours long, it felt like a whirlwind because we saw so much art and had to bypass so many other pieces. The tour gives you a quick glimpse of most of the galleries. Without the tour, we would not have seen one quarter of what we did see simply because of the sheer size of the museum and our unfamiliarity with the pieces. Katie was able to point out the important pieces and explain in simple terms what made each piece so special. I'd highly recommend the tour as a way to get an overview of the museum. Then if you choose, you will know which galleries you'd like to see in more detail on your own time.
Written October 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TRAVELwTEENS
Florida4 contributions
Dec 2022
Earlier in our trip to NYC, we visited other museums but as they were self-led my two teenagers (15, 13) got nothing out of them. I booked this 2-hr express tour of the MET hoping that the tour guide could bring some of the history and artwork to life. Ryan was absolutely fantastic and did just that for the entire group (all of whom were adults except for my teens). His sophisticated knowledge of Ancient Egypt, Greece, the Renaissance and Impressionism (amongst others) was delivered in a modest, enthusiastic, interesting and witty manner. Highly recommend this tour.
Written January 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Evee8
Branford, CT13 contributions
I’ve been to the Met before but wanted to try a tour this time. Katie was our guide. We had 15 people on the tour but Katie made it feel intimate and welcoming. She covered a lot in the 2 hour tour we signed up for, but it didn’t feel rushed at all. She even offered to extend it a bit if we wanted to go on. Katie shared the history of each piece which was very interesting and often humorous! Would recommend to history buffs for sure!
Written February 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Denise H
1 contribution
Jun 2023 • Family
Ryan was an excellent guide who managed to hold the attention of all our family of 5 (children 12 to 18 ) for the duration of the tour. The 3 hours went quickly as Ryan entertained us with very interesting anecdotes and facts about the wonders of the museum . This tour was a highlight of our trip to New York!
Written June 14, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Patricia F
10 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
Our tour guide was Phil from Walks. He was passionate and knowledgeable about art. I enjoyed learning about the different pieces of art. He did walk at a great pace. I found myself having to dodge through people to keep up with him.
Initially, we had arrived to the museum and met our group in the main lobby of the Metropolitan Museum. At 1:55, we told our guide Phil that we were headed to the bathroom but he told us that the tour was leaving promptly at 2:00 and that the bathroom was the first stop. Our guide Phil discouraged us from going to the bathroom. The tour ended up leaving at 2:04 so we would have had plenty of time to go to the bathroom.
Once our group got into the museum, our group stopped briefly at the bathroom. The women’s line was long but the men’s line was short. My husband David went into the men’s restroom.
Our guide Phil said he knew of another bathroom that he could take us to that would have a shorter line. Then we headed to another bathroom. I did mention to the guide that David was not with us. Phil said to tell him we were in the Egyptian area. I sent a picture to David of where we were at. He could not find us. Then our guide Phil said to tell David we were going to the Frank Lloyd room next. I sent a picture of the room to David and the location on a map. Still David was unable to find us. This continued for an hour and unfortunately, David was unable to find us. He ended up walking around the museum by himself which was frustrating. The Metropolitan Museum is the fifth largest museum in the world so it is difficult to find anyone since David was not familiar with the museum.
I took three other tours while in New York. All the other guides were attentive stopping constantly to count making sure the whole group was together before continuing on.
Initially, we had arrived to the museum and met our group in the main lobby of the Metropolitan Museum. At 1:55, we told our guide Phil that we were headed to the bathroom but he told us that the tour was leaving promptly at 2:00 and that the bathroom was the first stop. Our guide Phil discouraged us from going to the bathroom. The tour ended up leaving at 2:04 so we would have had plenty of time to go to the bathroom.
Once our group got into the museum, our group stopped briefly at the bathroom. The women’s line was long but the men’s line was short. My husband David went into the men’s restroom.
Our guide Phil said he knew of another bathroom that he could take us to that would have a shorter line. Then we headed to another bathroom. I did mention to the guide that David was not with us. Phil said to tell him we were in the Egyptian area. I sent a picture to David of where we were at. He could not find us. Then our guide Phil said to tell David we were going to the Frank Lloyd room next. I sent a picture of the room to David and the location on a map. Still David was unable to find us. This continued for an hour and unfortunately, David was unable to find us. He ended up walking around the museum by himself which was frustrating. The Metropolitan Museum is the fifth largest museum in the world so it is difficult to find anyone since David was not familiar with the museum.
I took three other tours while in New York. All the other guides were attentive stopping constantly to count making sure the whole group was together before continuing on.
Written July 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Good day,
Thank you for sharing your detailed feedback. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and frustration you and your husband experienced during your Highlights of the Metropolitan Museum Guided Tour.
While we are pleased to hear that you found our guide Phil passionate and knowledgeable about art, we are sorry that the pace of the tour and the bathroom situation caused difficulties. It is our priority to ensure all guests have a comfortable and enjoyable experience, and it seems we fell short in this instance.
Unfortunately, we are unable to track your booking by the nickname provided. To better address your concerns and find a suitable solution, we kindly ask that you contact us via email at feedback@walks.org with your booking details. We are committed to making this right and ensuring your satisfaction!
Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Kindly,
Andrii
Walks & Devour Tours
Written July 8, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Never2layt14321
Dallas, TX5 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
Kevin was an amazing tour guide!! He was so knowledgeable about everything and taught us so much in just two hours. He shared interesting and insightful details about several pieces and we were still able to visit so many of the highlights of he vast museum. I left feeling I had just taken an art appreciation class. He was friendly, courteous, and even had some funny jokes along the way.
Written July 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andree R
San Antonio, TX1 contribution
Mar 2023 • Family
Kevin is just a fantastic guide. He is extremely knowledgeable in art and art history which comes from both independent study and his profession. He asked though provoking questions and we enjoyed the ongoing conversation about the art very much. In addition, he has a great sense of humor which is always appreciated - definitely not dry and dull. We would highly recommend Kevin to anyone interested in a great tour of the MET.
Written March 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, is this tour suitable for 8 year olds?
Written October 16, 2019
i agree with all the above our tour was very much retarded at adults,(it was very good)
Written October 17, 2019
I seems that no tours are offered on either Tuesday or Wednesday. I was hoping for a Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019 tour. is this possible?
Written September 12, 2019
We booked our tour online and didn’t have that problem. I think the Met has tours you can join when you get there
Written September 13, 2019
It lasted approximately 3h 15m and in our case at least, was a sort of "tasting menu" for the museum. It dipped in and out of a few strategic periods and worked very well.
Written May 21, 2019
I have 2 tickets but need another for the 29th. Can I get on a wait list?
Written April 19, 2019
Call the company you booked the reservation with. If you dealt with the museum itself, call Guest Services.
Written April 22, 2019
Bonjour, la visite de 3h peut elle être faite par un guide qui parle français, car ça ne propose que anglais en service linguistique dans le panier ? je vous remercie.
Written April 15, 2019
Do you get to see Caravaggio on the guided three hour tour ? On sat 13 April is it 11am or 3pm? Thank you
Written March 23, 2019
Hols! El idioma? What language is the tour? Do u have it in Spanish?
Written January 13, 2019
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