by Leigh Goessl

Created on: March 07, 2009   Last Updated: November 20, 2009

As one of the most diverse and incredible art museums in the US, the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art is a must see for any art lover visiting the Big Apple. Even if you aren't an art aficionado, you're bound to be mesmerized by many of the exhibits offered for public viewing.

The museum itself spans several city blocks and is fondly referred to as the "Met" by those who have become intimately familiar with this wondrous showcase of some of the most incredible art you'll ever see. If you happen to be spending some time in New York City, visiting the Met is well worth a few hours.

The only problem with scheduling a few hours for the Met is that it won't nearly be long enough to truly cover all the exciting exhibits the museum has to offer; you may find yourself having to pick and choose which areas of the museum you want to cover most. Another drawback is even if you do manage to cover it all, you'll miss something since displays are constantly rotating with special exhibits and loaners.

When you enter the Metropolitan Museum of Art you will quickly notice the multitude of choices you'll have of exhibits to explore. The museum is not only comprised of traditional paintings and pottery, it truly encompasses a full spectrum of diverse arts.

One of the first you're likely to stumble across is ancient Greece and Egypt. These timeless and old Greek statues are amazing. The artistic detail which these ancient sculptors possessed is simply breathtaking. It is astonishing to think about how old these pieces are, literally thousands of years and stand beneath them to be bowled over of their beauty and ability to survive so many years.

The Met's ancient Egypt exhibit is beyond incredible. One of the key exhibits to see is an authentic Egyptian temple that was dismantled, shipped to the US and pieced back together. The temple stands in a large room which contains a wall of skylights which helps augment the beauty and wonder of the structure. What is amazing is the engravings etched on the walls of the temple are still intact and legible.

After you explore the temple, you can walk through all of the other Egyptian exhibits which contain artifacts, pottery, coins, metalwork and other kinds of items which existed during this era. Some of the pieces are fully intact, others are fragmented, but when you consider how long these pieces have survived, it is amazing they are even still in existence and still so beautiful.

Another interesting part of the Egyptian exhibit is the

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