Written by: Rashawn Khamari Merchant

Located in Washington Heights, New York City, the Met Cloisters is an early 20th-century museum focused on medieval art. The museum boasts many European, African, and Arabic-centered pieces. The Met Cloisters, while especially famous for its historical offerings, is remarkable for its physical design and spacial makeup. The museum was built by combining elements of the medieval period into the museum’s walls, doorways, and hallway sections, making it almost indistinguishable from ancient castles.

It is truly fascinating to see how seamless this modern museum is, detailed with subtleties like stained church glass and heavy iron doors. What is truly fascinating about The Met Cloisters is its indoor/outdoor flow. 

Each exhibit at The Met Cloisters is designed with stunning openings that connect to natural spaces, allowing ample natural light to filter into the museum. As you observe the religious artifacts, the proximity to nature brings a sense of calmness, creating a relaxed and serene environment. 

The museum’s garden features are a true highlight. The Cloisters is home to several outdoor gardens that are grown on various levels of the building. As per the Cloisters’ website, these gardens offer a rich variety of plants and herbs grown for pleasure, medicine, and nourishment, enriching the senses and providing a deeper understanding of the medieval times. The museum’s exhibits boast over 300 different types of vegetation, including common herbs like lavender and robust, often rare, seasonally planted flowers. 

Overall, if you want to enjoy a museum’s historical aspects but don’t want to stay inside for several hours, The Met Cloisters offers a perfect, serene balance between the indoors and outdoors.

https://www.metmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/met-cloisters

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