The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Central Park

As a Fordham student, one of my favorite activities to do in New York City is going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum is simply beautiful. Not only is it located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, but it is right next to Central Park, which allows for a beautiful walk back to Lincoln Center. It is also the ideal museum for any college student because there is no required admission price, so you can give just a few dollars to get in! The Met's collection has everything from Egyptian Art to Modern and Contemporary Art, so there is definitely something there for everyone.

As a Medieval Studies major, my favorite part of the museum is the Medieval Art section, which has many sculptures of saints, the Virgin and Child, and kings. There are also many tapestries, stained glass windows, plaques, manuscripts, altarpieces, and the beautiful medieval gates that stand at the center of the main gallery. It is an absolutely breathtaking site, especially during Christmastime, when there is a giant Christmas tree placed right in front of the gates.

Since I have spent most of Spring break in the city, I decided to take a trip to the Met with my roommate on Wednesday. The weather was absolutely lovely, so we decided to walk back through Central Park. There is nothing that can compare to walking through Central Park on a beautiful day. As someone who grew up not too far from New York City and has walked through the park a countless number of time, I still discover something new every time. The new discovery this time was Belvedere Castle. This is an observation building, located in the center of the park, right next to Turtle Pond. Once you climb to the top, you have a beautiful view of the park and the buildings surrounding it. In addition to Belvedere Castle, my roommate and I tracked down the famous Balto statue, which is always fun to see.

Trips to the Met and walks through Central Park always reminds me of how lucky I am to go to school in such a beautiful city with access to to so much history. If it wasn't for Fordham's amazing location in the heart of Manhattan, I would never have had such easy access to all these lovely New York City sites.