To the Top of the Met and Beyond

There are two very important summer locations that we have yet to discuss: museums and rooftops. Summer in NYC is all about the rooftops. Besides parks, they are the only way to enjoy fresh air and sunshine while escaping the insufferable heat radiating from the sidewalks below. As the city's trendiest summer locale, rooftops can be found just about anywhere, including, you guessed it, museums!

From May to October, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (you know that gigantic stone builiding on the eastern edge of Central Park?) opens its beautiful rooftop garden to the public. With unobstructed views of Central Park and the West Side skyline, it is truly a sight to behold. If that's not enough to entice you, each season the Met commissions a world-renowned artist to transform the open-air space. This season's exhibit is entitled The Roof Garden Commission: Dan Graham with Gunther Vogt. 

 

The rooftop exhibit features astroturf flooring and a large center installation comprised of "curves of steel and two-way mirrored glass between ivy hedgerows," according to the Met's website. "Graham’s structure is part garden maze, part modernist skyscraper façade." And part funhouse, if you ask me! If "modernist mazes" are not your thing, the rooftop also offers a cafe with speciality cocktails, beer, wine and lunch options.

If the sun is a little too strong on the rooftop, head inside to enjoy some cool air-conditioning and one of the Met's special exhibits. I find that museums are a wonderful place to experience alone. They're perfect for spending the day getting lost and leisurely taking in all the details. The quiet halls are a welcome break from the noise of the city streets.  Although many people find the Met's grand size overwhelming (it's the largest art museum in the US), I think it's best to choose one or two exhibits to view instead of trying to cram everything in at once. 

I chose the Costume Institute's exhibit Charles James: Beyond Fashion. The exhibit, housed in the special exhibition galleries and the newly created Anna Wintour Costume Center, showcases the work of couterier Charles James. The special galleries present a retrospective of his breathtaking ball gowns worn by society elite and Hollywood legends. 

As James was renowned for this technical and tailoring skills, the Costume Center portion is dedicated to how each design was created. The intricate cuts and patterns of James' designs are presented on digital-motion screens. To the untrained eye, the garments may seem simple but the motion graphics detail the precision of each piece. 

It's the end of July and summer is fleeting quicker by the day. Now is the time to start killing two birds with one stone, and a one-stop trip to a museum and rooftop is the perfect plan for a summer day. Its is a great way to enjoy New York, enjoy some culture, and best of all, enjoy the quiet!