The Cloisters

I have wanted to go to the Cloisters, a branch of the MET Museum dedicated to Medieval art, since I read about it in one of my favorite books in high school. I finally went on Sunday, and I have to say that I think I finally found one thing in New York that isn't better in the winter. It was horribly windy and really cold, and there were times I thought I might be blown over the cliffs straight into the Hudson.

The museum is located in Fort Tyron park, which is at the northern tip of Manhattan. I'd never been up that far, but I walked around the neighborhood as much as I could stand it (have I mentioned how cold it was?) and it's a really cute and quiet place. It's quite hilly — in fact, it's the highest point in New York City, and you're only a few dozen feet lower than the Statue of Liberty's torch.

The views of the Hudson are pretty great, and the park is lovely, but I couldn't help but imagine how wonderful it is in the summer. There are gardens, and tons of winding paths and green spaces that I would love to explore when it's a bit more hospitable outside. The Cloisters itself is pretty awesome, albeit a bit smaller than I imagined — I walked through in about an hour. Like the MET Museum it's suggested donation, and whatever you pay also gets you same-day admission into the main museum, which is pretty cool.

The most impressive part of the Cloisters is the building itself, assembled from various "architectural elements that date from the twelfth through the fifteenth century," including pieces from five actual cloisters. I believe in the summer that the cloisters open up into outdoor gardens, but they were enclosed when I went.

They're also famous for their collection of Unicorn Tapestries, which are kind of mysterious and ridiculous and all-around beautiful. I don't even usually care much for tapestry work, but it's hard not to like a series about unicorns, especially one that continues to puzzle researchers, even today, about its origins.

I would love to go back on a summer day, when the gardens are in bloom and explore Fort Tyron park a bit more. I think I let my excitement of finally checking the Cloisters off of my to-do-list get the best of me, and got a little impatient. If you're at all religious I definitely recommend a trip to the museum — their collection is a bit Jesus-heavy — but even if you're not (I'm very not) go and be wowed by the architecture and magnificence of it all. Just maybe wait until it warms up just a bit.