Day 3 – 11/30/10: Modern (end), Egyptian

Two days later, in the afternoon, we both returned and completed the Modern wing. Not surprisingly, we didn’t like all of the many modern and contemporary styles, but there were a surprising range of works that we did appreciate. The Met has a good overview of modern art, but what's amazing is that the nearby Museum of Modern Art, Whitney, and Guggenheim have equally impressive collections.

Next we went to the Egyptian section.  The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has an excellent Egyptian collection, but the Met’s is even larger, spread in 39 galleries. We managed to just barely make it through by closing time.  The arrangement is easier to follow than the MFA’s, with galleries arranged more or less chronologically. The most impressive piece is the Temple of Dendur, surrounded by a pool of water in a huge courtyard, the largest of many courtyards within the museum.

The $25 suggested entry fee was adding up, and we realized that it might make sense to increase our membership level at the Museum of Fine Arts to one that provides reciprocal entry. This would allow us to come whenever we wanted, even when we only had a few hours available. It would also get us into the Art Institute of Chicago, where we generally go once a year, as well as any other city we might find ourselves.

The Temple of Dendur