Hello, I'm Max Hollein, the Marina Kellen French Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s my pleasure to welcome you to The Met Cloisters. This branch of The Met combines stunning examples of medieval European architecture and marvelous works of art with exquisite gardens, all purpose-built to evoke the period spanning the ninth through the sixteenth centuries.

The Met Cloisters is a unique museum. It’s actually the only American museum devoted entirely to medieval art. As you enter the galleries and gardens, please take note of how the collections are presented. Many spaces incorporate elements of actual medieval buildings, especially the enclosed walkways that give The Cloisters its name. Intimate galleries give way to gardens, and the diversity and range of works of art gathered here bring the Middle Ages to life.

In the Middle Ages, buildings were the most ambitious monuments. Today, they remain a testament to the collaboration of many artists and craftspeople. The great cathedrals and monasteries that still stand in Europe represent the artistry of architects, sculptors, masons, painters, and more. Often making use of locally available materials, these individuals transformed buildings into great works of art: every door-jamb, archway, and window chiseled by hand. At The Met Cloisters, you can discover the variety and inventiveness that medieval sculptors brought to their work, especially in the capitals, doorways, and covered arcades that have been incorporated directly into the Museum’s architecture. You’ll also find masterpieces of art in wood, terracotta, stained-glass, enamel, ivory, manuscript illumination, tapestry, and painting.

Here at The Cloisters, you’ll discover that the so-called “dark ages” were actually a bright period of innovation, imagination, and creativity. You might even catch a glimpse of a magical creature—the elusive unicorn.

We invite you to let your imagination go and immerse yourself in the world of medieval Europe. Thank you for joining us at The Met Cloisters.