The bus ride was long as we came from midtown. However, it was well worth it. The Cloisters has a great setting and the artifacts are amazing. We enjoyed our visit and will come back on subsequent visits to NYC.

The Cloisters is a fascinating look at history during Medieval times. It is an offshoot of the Metropolitan Museum located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan. The museum, situated in Fort Tryon Park, specializes in European medieval art and architecture, with a focus on the Romanesque and Gothic periods. There is a lovely courtyard and the grounds overlook the Hudson River. Definitely worth a visit for history buffs.

Although this museum was a long way from our hotel, I can say it was worth the trip. We are not veteran subway riders, but found the correct trains to take thanks to Google maps. I can’t imagine how long (and the expense) it would have taken us to get there if we had taken a cab or Uber! Be warned that the trek up to the museum from street level is not for the faint of heart….it’s a long way up. But despite the rain the walk was beautiful and the views made it pleasant. The museum itself feels like you are visiting Europe, this alone made the trip worth it The exhibits are well done but there aren’t many of them. The museum’s collection of tapestries is extraordinary. Don’t expect to spend the day here by any means, a few hours is all you will need. We had lunch in the courtyard amongst the flowers….such a charming setting. The food was very expensive and not very tasty. Be sure to visit the medieval gardens, we found this fascinating. We found that no one who works here seems to enjoy their job…every employee we interacted with was unfriendly and unwelcoming. Seemed kind of strange for a venue that deals with the public.

This is a beautiful museum that all would love to see. The setting is just gorgeous and the art included is very interesting. It was an easy runway ride from our hotel in Midtown. Your paid ticket will also get you into The Met Fifth Avenue for no additional fee if you use on the same day. The Cloisters does not require a full day's time so seeing The Cloisters and then taking in some of The Met's exhibits in the same day is completely doable. The cafe at The Cloisters, while a beautiful, cool outdoor setting, does not offer memorable food but gets the job done if needed.

What an absolutely beautiful place to visit. If it wasn’t for friends who live in NY I would not have known about this place as it’s not advertised. It was stunning- a building made up of other buildings from around the world then all pieces back together in a wonderfully clever way I order to show the architecture and piece inside. All set high on the hill with delightful views over Manhattan. This is well worth a trip to see.

The Cloisters, aka The Met Cloisters is a magnificent museum that’s located at Fort Tyron park in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. In October of 2023, I brought and treated my wife and myself for a visit to the museum and we very much enjoyed our experience there. Constructed by industrialists and philanthropist, John D. Rockefeller Jr. in the 1930’s and then later given and governed by the Metropolitan Museum Of Art (The Met), the Cloisters primarily features renowned European medieval architecture and art, with a particular emphasis on Christian symbols and themes. The museum holds about 5,000 works of art and architecture, many of them originating from the Byzantine and Renaissance periods. During our visit, my wife and I viewed and took several pictures of beautiful tapestries, panel paintings, sculptures and effigies. Our favorite works of art were the “Mérode Altarpiec,” “the Enthroned Virgin and Child” and the various statues of Mary & Jesus. We also enjoyed visiting the Cuxa & Trie Cloisters. If you are an aficionado of Medieval Art & Architecture, then we highly recommend that you visit and explore the Cloisters!!!

We were unable to visit the Cloisters the last time we visited NYC so I made sure we included it in our itinerary. It is easy to get to via Subway but beware of a steep walk up to the Cloisters. The collection is amazing not to mention the gardens and the views. It was so peaceful! Get there when they first open to avoid the crowds.

This is a gem. A great find and a nice break from the packed museums. I went expecting a totally different experience but what a pleasant surprise. The religious art was amazing and the space and gardens were grand. I felt immersed in history.

Reviews capture the special and unique experience visiting The Cloisters. It is truly a respite from the busy museums and a place of contemplation. If anything, see the famous Unicorn tapestries and the brilliance of the ones that are being restored. Stunning views of the GW Bridge and the Hudson River. The steps from the subway to the museum is a long way. The best plan is to take the subway and then pick up the M 4 bus the rest of the way to Fort Tryon Park. If anyone had any suggestions for places to grab a light bite to eat, we are all ears. You can easily head to the Upper East Side and find many wonderful cafes.

I love touring the Met Cloisters at the holidays. They have such interesting walking tours and displays of decorations for the Christmas holidays. The museum is not overdone and the people who work here are the utmost professional. Instead of the tour we were supposed to have on holiday plants during the Middle Ages, we had a talk of Three Kings Day and the how the interpretation has changed over the years. This is seen in the artwork around the galleries and how it changed over the Middle Ages. There were different versions in storytelling and how the story progressed from three wisemen to three kings. We saw different mediums in woodwork, stained glass and tapestries. After the tour, I walked around the museum and looked at what the collection had to offer on the subject again. I observed the artwork again with a little more time and realized that the storytelling must have changed over the ages. The museum was beautifully decorated with all sorts of plants that were blooming at different stages and realized this is how the churches must have been decorated after the Dark Ages. Very interesting and beautiful to look at. This is a little gem of a museum uptown.