The Met Fifth Avenue

The Met Fifth Avenue is a large limestone museum building on Fifth Avenue featuring neoclassical architecture and multiple interconnected wings. The building contains numerous galleries spread across several floors that feel like an expanding maze of interconnected exhibition spaces.

The building opened in 1872 as an original red brick structure designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, though its Victorian Gothic style drew criticism at the time. Over decades it was expanded and redesigned, with the original form gradually hidden beneath additions.

The building houses specialized galleries dedicated to art forms from different cultures and time periods, showing how people across the world have told their stories through objects and artworks. The spaces are arranged to guide visitors on a journey across continents and centuries.

You can access the museum easily through its main entrances on Fifth Avenue and explore the galleries at your own pace. It makes sense to allow extra time for your visit since the building is expansive and easy to get turned around in.

The Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden displays changing art installations with views across Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. This area tends to be quieter than other parts of the building and offers a special vantage point for seeing both the city and contemporary art together.

Location: Manhattan

Inception: 1872

Architects: Calvert Vaux, Jacob Wrey Mould

Architectural style: Neoclassical architecture

Floors above the ground: 3

Made from material: limestone

Part of: Metropolitan Museum of Art

Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028

GPS coordinates: 40.77945,-73.96325

Latest update: December 7, 2025 19:30