Chapter 7. The Cloisters
The main tower of the Cloisters on a cold winter morning. Taken at ISO 64, f/5.6, 1/80 second with a 28mm lens.
Why It's Worth a Photograph
From the northern tip of Manhattan Island, you can instantly transport yourself to medieval Europe at the Cloisters. Completed in 1938 from an endowment grant by John D. Rockefeller, Jr, the Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art dedicated solely to European medieval art. The building itself is an amalgam of five medieval French cloisters and other French monasteries. Beautiful grounds, gardens, vaulted passageways, and a world-renowned collection of 6,000 works of art, from tapestries to sculptures, paintings to arms and armaments, all await you and your camera.
Where Can I Get the Best Shot?
They say the best things require a little effort — get to the Cloisters by Subway (A) to 190th street and then take a short 10-minute walk. Or, take a taxi from wherever you are in New York City. The Cloisters are at the northern end of Manhattan Island.
The best vantage points from which to photograph the Cloisters: (A) outside from the south and (B) inside in the museum galleries.
Outside from the south
From the main lawn area just south of the building complex, there are many views of this beautiful place. The building ...
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