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VIP: NYC EmptyMet Tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
New York City, USA
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Overview
Thousands visit New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art daily to see masterpieces by artists such as van Gogh, Klimt, and Warhol. Rather than negotiate the crowds, enter before the galleries open to the general public on this VIP tour and see many of the museum’s highlights before the bustle begins. Follow a carefully planned, time-efficient route; and explore with a guide who tells tales of the works many visitors miss.
- Enjoy the best of NYC’s Metropolitan Museum of Art on a VIP early-hours tour
- Enter the Met and see some of its highlights before it opens to the public
- Explore with a guide to hear stories and observations you’d miss alone
- Admire works by van Gogh, O’Keeffe, and more without surrounding bustle
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
On this VIP tour, be among the first visitors of the day inside this art-packed museum.
What's Included
- Exclusive access to The Met
- Transportation to/from attraction
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA
Departure Point: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Address: Main Building 1000 Fifth Avenue (at 82nd Street), New York, NY 10028 Dates: Days vary by season
Start time
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
On the morning of your tour, make your way to the Metropolitan Museum of Art on the eastern edge of Central Park. The Met ranks among the most prestigious museums in the world, among the likes of the British Museum, the Louvre, and the Vatican Museums. The proof is in the numbers: over six million visitors flock to the Met each year, making it the city’s most visited tourist attraction. And you get to explore its galleries before the museum is open to the public.
Meet your guide—an employee of the Met—near the entrance and head directly inside. See highlights of the permanent collection such as the Egyptian Temple of Dendur, Tiffany glass, and revered masterpieces by the Old Masters. Other notable works include Roman frescos, Greek statues, and modern pieces. Throughout the tour, there is time to snap photos of your favorite works.
After in-depth commentary about the exhibits and the museum’s history, you can leave the museum—just try not to look too smug as you pass the long line of people waiting to get inside.
Want to see more? You can stick around to explore the Met on your own with the included EmptyMet ticket that not only gets you same-day admission to the Met, but also the Met Breuer and Met Cloisters.
Viator VIPs feature travel experiences not typically available to the general public—from behind-the-scenes access to private viewings and VIP service—at many of the world’s top attractions, often with no lines and no crowds. Viator VIP tours are not available from other 3rd-party online sellers.
Meet your guide—an employee of the Met—near the entrance and head directly inside. See highlights of the permanent collection such as the Egyptian Temple of Dendur, Tiffany glass, and revered masterpieces by the Old Masters. Other notable works include Roman frescos, Greek statues, and modern pieces. Throughout the tour, there is time to snap photos of your favorite works.
After in-depth commentary about the exhibits and the museum’s history, you can leave the museum—just try not to look too smug as you pass the long line of people waiting to get inside.
Want to see more? You can stick around to explore the Met on your own with the included EmptyMet ticket that not only gets you same-day admission to the Met, but also the Met Breuer and Met Cloisters.
Viator VIPs feature travel experiences not typically available to the general public—from behind-the-scenes access to private viewings and VIP service—at many of the world’s top attractions, often with no lines and no crowds. Viator VIP tours are not available from other 3rd-party online sellers.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please arrive on time. Any guest arriving 15 or minutes after their group has entered the galleries will not be permitted entry.
- Coat check will be available for small bags and coats.
- Food and drinks are not permitted in the museum.
- Luggage, carry-on bags, and oversize backpacks are not allowed in the museum.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
Operated by Empty Met
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
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Reviews
4.5
228 reviews
Daniel_A, Sep 2022
That was an amazing experience, the timing, the visit, the guide.
It wasn’t my first time @ The Met Museum, but visiting like this is priceless.
100% recommended
Alicia_L, Mar 2020
Paige was fabulous! Can't say enough great things about her. It was a wonderful overview of the museum with also enough details of particular pieces to make me both satisfied with the tour, yet want to come back again and again to the Met for more.
Joe_A, Mar 2020
I booked this in March 2020 as a surprise, and was very happy with our experience. On arriving, we were greeted, and had out coats checked etc. There were three of us on the tour in total, and two tour guides to take us around. The knowledge and enthusiasm of the guides was fantastic, and added a whole lot of extra info for someone like me (who's a complete art newbie).
Due to the massive size of the museum, we didn't get to see everything within our 1.5h, but we did get to see a good chunk (although obviously it's a bit whistlestop, so if you'd like to really take your time, this might not be for you).
After the tour, we stayed in the museum for another 4 hours, going over the bits we'd missed, and studying other bits more closely. These last 4h really hit home how surreal/lovely it is to experience the museum without other people around. It's a very personal, tranquil 1.5h experience - definitely one to recommend for the art lovers who can take things at a brisk pace.
Lorraine_P, Mar 2020
We are long time members of the Met, but this tour took us to parts of the museum we had not seen before. Our guide was knowledgeable about the history of the museum itself, as well as the curated works and their provenance. we thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
Sue_C, Feb 2020
The group was very large. The guide was good but difficult to hear due to size of group. Too pricy for length and group size.
Yulia_G, Feb 2020
Great: to be in an empty Met Museum in early hours, and having an opportunity to observe and enjoy without a crowd. Unique experience and atmosphere of the museum!
Not so great: the guide was focused for too long on few objects that didn't impressed me. Plus, speaking very very low voice that was really hard to hear unless you stand just next to the guide. Didn't produce an impression of a person with deep knowledge of Met Art. I have been in similar tours in Louver, Hermitage, and museums of London, and it was a very different (better) experience. My observation, the guide didn't sense the reaction of the audience, e.g. most people there were not at all interested in what she was saying, she couldn't engage the audience.
Thomas_L, Feb 2020
The docent has an excellent fund of knowledge, included interesting historical anecdotes when describing the works, and included most of the must see pieces. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
dms110, Feb 2020
Enjoyed the empty met . Got a great overview than I would have otherwise. Very leisurely and unrushed. Would highly recommend this tour.
JaynaMarie_J, Jan 2020
This experience went well beyond expectations. The tour guide was knowledgeable, funny, and welcoming. The small (aprox. 15) group size allowed for greater discussions of the exhibits. The pass lasts for 3 days and we were able to visit the Cloisters the following day. Highly recommend to anyone interested!
Barbara_J, Jan 2020
It was wonderful and intimate. Very small group and the guide was extremely knowledgeable. Would recommend!
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