5/22/11

Cloisters 101

My family took a cab up to The Cloisters today. The whole day felt very San Francisco. Dark and foggy, slightly cold, and really green. Stunning! It's located on the very top of Manhattan in Fort Tryon Park and affiliated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It houses European Medieval art and architecture along with beautiful walkways and gardens. A much needed break from crazy city life!

Here's four things I learned from taking the kids to The Cloisters:
1. My kids adored running around the grounds outside the museum.  Once we got inside the cloister, it became stressful for us to say "stop running" and "shhh" so we didn't stay long. Just long enough for me to take 173 pictures.
2. The admission inside the museum is recommended. Pay what you can afford at the front desk. If you buy online, you pay the full recommended price ($20 for adults, kids 12 and under free).  
3.  New Leaf Restaurant! The tables outside in the gardens (shown below in white) only do a drink service, but sometimes that's just enough.  Inside, we're told, the food is really good.
4. Next time I go, I want to show the kids the Unicorn Tapestries.  Unicorns are universally interesting to kids, right?



Have you ever been to the Cloisters? Did I miss something? How do you make art museums interesting for your kids? One rule I try to follow: Stay under an hour!

9 comments:

  1. How fun! When I took the boys to Ringling I had them pick out their favorite piece in each room. I also let them decide where they wanted to go in the museam and park. Most of their life between school and getting ready and this or that is adults telling them what to do so they really get a kick out of looking at the map and running the show for a little bit.

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  2. Hi Sharon, I recently found your blog and it's so lovely! I don't have kids, but I live in NYC and love seeing all the fun adventures you are having! I haven't been to the Cloisters in years. I may be due for another trip soon!

    emily

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  3. I found your blog through Oh Happy Day. It's fabulous!

    Have you posted anywhere about what photography equipment you use? Gorgeous pictures!

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  4. Lizzie: thanks! i use a canon t2i with a 50mm1.8 lense

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  5. just found your blog and am dying over how darling your little kiddies are.
    im buying my little girl suspenders asap :)

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  6. i was going to go on friday but didn't quite make it. seeing your post makes me want to get up there soon though!

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  7. We used to walk up the path to the cloisters from our apartment. These pics made me want to return to NYC. Lovely.

    An idea for kids in museums (besides keeping it under an hour) is buy a few postcards for each of them and have them go find the real paintings. And then reward them with a treat. Works everytime.

    I think most adults can't stand much more than an hour in a museum and then they lose focus.

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  8. Jeannine: Such a good idea. I think that's the worst part about being a kid: being told what to do all the time

    Emily: Thanks! You should go tomorrow. The weather is suppose to be stunning!

    Erica: thanks! suspenders make everything better.

    Oh, Lovely Day!: Go soon! It's stunning right now.

    Louise Plummer: I'm always so honored to see that you read my blog. I adore you!! Thanks for the tip. My kids love matching games. They would be all over this .

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  9. Love love love the Cloisters. Been there twice. Cannot visit NYC without going there. Maybe more important than the Met. And such a great place for photos.

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