The Cloisters - NYC

Continuing north from Hamilton Grange, after a stop for coffee, we headed to The Cloisters, part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  We rode the A train to 190 St. station and then walked through Fort Tryon Park.  It would have been a long ride, all the way from lower Manhattan, but since we were already in Harlem, it wasn't so far.  And despite the continuing intermittent rain, the walk through the park was quite pleasant.  It was pretty, in a late fall kind of way and there were some nice views over the Hudson River.

According the The Cloister's website, "the museum is dedicated to the art, architecture, and gardens of medieval Europe".  This was definitely true, it's a really beautiful museum, especially if you enjoy or have always wanted to see medieval Europe.  I've always been fascinated by castles and cathedrals and I actively seek them out on European trips, so this was perfect for me.  

We started out wandering randomly, but then we discovered If you follow the recommended tour route (numbered rooms in order), it starts with the oldest artwork and architecture from the 12th century. and it all makes much more sense.  The rooms surround a large courtyard and finish with the most recent artwork, which is the late gothic hall from the early 16th century.  There's even a whole room of unicorn tapestries.

The Cloisters was an excellent choice for a rainy afternoon.  And since it was a Wednesday, it wasn't very busy and it was a nice size and easy to see the whole museum and without feeling "museumed out".