preeya

Hello,
We are visiting either one of the museum MoMA or MET on 23rd Dec. I want to spend some 3 hrs in the musuem with my hubby and then do general touristy things. So please tell me which one will take a long time in queue, which tickets are available on line? And which one is better to do that day? I just have 2-3 days, so can only think of one of the musuems to do justice.
Thanks-Preeya

Ryan

The one criteria that you didn't mention would be the one that I'd view as the most relevant - which artistic style appeals to you most?

If you are more interested in Modern Art, than certainly the MoMa.

If you are more interested in seeing well known Impressionist paintings and a broad collection the encompasses art as diverse as American art from the early part of the 20th Century, Egyptian, Roma-Greek sculpture, to name but a few - than consider the Met.

In terms of tickets, lines, crowds, etc. it would be hard to tell.

Ryan

BTW, I can spell. I just can't type.

atilla

Another consideration is time. I spent 4 hours at the MET and I don't think I saw 10% of the collection. Unless you are concentrating on a couple of particular exhibits, 3 hours just won't cover much ground unfortunately. If you are going to see very specific things then 3 hours may be enough time, but just keep in mind that the museum and it's collection are enormous.

HowardR

If you don't buy timed tickets in advance at MOMA, you'll probably have to wait in a long line.
Both museums are gems, and I'd be hard pressed to recommend one over the other these days....unless, as a previous poster wrote, you are a huge fan of modern art. Then, of course, it would be MOMA.
It's like having someone ask: Do you want to go to Paris or Rome?
Whatever you decide, I strongly urge you to get there early in the morning. The Met opens at 9:30 and MOMA at 10:30.

Anonymous

The new MoMa has just re-opened and therefore has crowds and long admissions lines, whereas the Met rarely has. So I would recommend the Met, just prepare for your brief visit by selecting a few galleries of your favorite location, style or period in advance.

seetheworld

I would agree with you Anonymous if we were talking about a non-gridlock time of year. However, I have gone to the Met during the Christmas break, and I waited in a very long line - so it's hard to tell. Your best bet is to go early but one thing is for certain, you will never see everything in either museum in 3 hours. But that's okay, you'll just have to come and visit again

wantsomesun

Well worth the visit is the Christmas Tree at the Met. It is decorated with beautiful artifacts and is shown each year.

You might want to try the Met website for info on special exhibits.

Have a great time while you are here.

Just heard on the weather that we are expecting a BIG snow storm next week, ummmmm....a white Christmas maybe????

nytraveler

Although I love the new MOMA unless you are big fans of modern art you may be disappointed. (When we were there we overheard some folks from out of town who apparently didn;t understand the "Modern" in MOMA - and thought they would be seeing old masters, impressionists etc.)

Suggest you have a look at each of the websites to see some of the collection - to see what you will enjoy more. (For the Met - if you decide that way - suggest you pick 3 or 4 departments that you want to do - paintings [and what type], furniture, arms and armor, costumes, egyptian etc - I, for one can do without the middle eastern pot department - but chacun a son gout!)

preeya

Thankyou all for your responses. I think we will get the online tickets for MoMA and visit them as its newly opened. And maybe come back again for MET with giving it one whole day just for covering the whole MET.
Preeya

Anonymous

You can't "cover the whole Met" in one day.

Margie

Preeya, have you had a chance to look at the MoMA website? There's lots of great information here: http://www.moma.org/about_moma/manhattan/index.html

Have a wonmderful time!

lisettemac

Not to throw a wrench in your plans, but if you only want to spend a couple of hours, I'd suggest you either pick a particular part of the Metropolitan to visit (like Egyptian art or painting and sculpture or a special exhibit) or try a smaller museum, like the Frick. The Frick can be done in a couple of hours, is usually less crowded and the art is displayed in a home-like setting, as it would have been by its collector.

Litespeed_Chick

I went to the MoMa at 12:00 this past Sunday (12/12/04). Stood in line about 5 minutes. The galleries were very crowded, though. We allowed ourselves 2 hours. It was enough time to do the top 2 floors (painting) thoroughly and to make a quick run through the drawings and architecture/design and outdoor sculpture garden. We didn't have time to see any of the special exhibits.

GoTravel

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is an encyclopedic museum spanning 5,000 years and the largest museum in the western hemisphere.

MoMA is a museum dedicated to modern art.

To give you an analogy, think of the human body. The Metropolitan would be the whole body while MoMA would be one hair on your head.

johnthedorf

preeya,
Prior to going to MOMA across the street is St. Patrick's and decorated for Christmas. You would be closer to the bustle of the season and nearer to the wonderful windows of the holiday. Next to the skaters at
Rockefeller center and the City's tree you might want to have a sit down lunch and choices are numerous in that area. Meryy Chrismukkah!

preeya

Thanks for your tips! From Litespeedchick I get inspired to cover the MoMA in 3 hrs. And ofcourse Gotravel, I understand how big MET must be, thats why I didnt want to do that in a a hurry, cannot do justice with few hrs. Johnthedorf, Any suggestions for quick/ cheap lunch around MoMA/Rockefeller to sitdown, and eat? We are veggies, so please suggest.
Thanks-Preeya

mclaurie

MOMA is on 53 b/w 5th=6th. La Bonne Soupe is on 55th st b/w 5th-6th. They have a good deal for soup,salad, bread and wine. They also have crepes, omelettes etc. There are also a few Indian places were you could do vegetarian. Some have great buffet lunches but may not be veggie on the buffet. There's an Indian on the same street as La Bonne Soupe and another (Bay Leaf) on 56 st b/w 5th-6th with a buffet lunch. On the very same street (55th st) is Michael's a fancy, expensive rest. that serves California cuisine. They have veggie offerings. You'd need a reservation there.

dan_woodlief

Looks like you already made your decision, and I have to say I agree with it. I have gone to the Met and spent half a day there and saw a lot. I have also gone to the Met and spent about 2 1/2 hours and felt very rushed (and that was a second visit in the same year as the first). Unless you can make yourself focus on a couple of sections you will feel very rushed with three hours. One thing you can do to save time with the Met though is avoid the shop. It is huge and can eat up lots of time. There is also a nice Met shop at Rockefeller Center and a very small one at Macy's.

Anonymous

I do not understand the approach of choosing a museum on the basis of being able to see it all in a specific amount of time. Wouldn't it make more sense to say, "I have 3 hours to spend in an art museum, how/where would I enjoy it the most?" As others have pointed out, if you're not into modern art, then 3 hours spent on a chosen portion of the Met, or at the Frick, is going to be more rewarding than a visit to MoMa.