The Unicorn Rests in a Garden (detail) Unicorn Tapestries at the Cloisters (The Met)
The Met Cloisters, the branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art of medieval Europe, presents extraordinary works of art from the 8th to the 16th centuries in a fully immersive setting.
Set at the crest of Fort Tryon Park at the northern tip of Manhattan, The Cloisters opened to the public in 1938. With commanding views over the Hudson River, the building seamlessly binds imposing stone arches, soaring Gothic doorways, contemplative chapels, and monastic cloisters into a unique confection. The collection encompasses shimmering stained glass, world-famous tapestries, priceless panel paintings, sumptuous silver vessels, and intricately carved ivories. The museum’s integral, lush gardens contribute to the abiding sense of peace and tranquility that visitors never fail to mention.
Barbara Drake Boehm, Paul and Jill Ruddock curator emerita of the Cloisters, brings the collection to life in a virtual visit. Works from Paris to Prague and Canterbury to Cordoba all attest to the skill and imagination of medieval artists and the beauty they imparted to the world.
World Art History Certificate elective: Earn 1/2 credit*
*Enrolled participants in the World Art History Certificate Program receive 1/2 elective credit. Not yet enrolled? Learn about the program, its benefits, and how to register here.