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How to Skip the Line at the Met

By the BeatTheCrowd team · Updated 20 October 2026 · 3 min read

Quick answer

Buy your ticket online before you go and walk past the ticket desks. Use the 81st Street entrance (ground level, to the right of the main steps), which usually has a shorter security line. For the calmest visit, go at the 10 am opening on a weekday or on a Friday or Saturday evening, when the Met stays open late. It's closed on Wednesdays.

At a glance

Ticket: About $30 adults, less for seniors and students. Under 12s free
NY residents: Pay what you wish, with proof of residency (also NJ and CT students)
Closed: Wednesdays (check official hours)

How long are the lines at the Met?

The Met is vast, so once you're inside it rarely feels packed, except in headline exhibitions and around the Temple of Dendur and the Egyptian galleries. The lines are at the main Fifth Avenue entrance, for security and the ticket desks, which can take 20-30 minutes on weekend afternoons and rainy days.

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Before you go, check how busy the Met is likely to be. BeatTheCrowd shows the live crowd level and an hourly forecast for any date, adjusted for US holidays, school breaks and weather.

Check today’s crowds at The Metropolitan Museum of Art →

Tickets

Who	Price (approx.)	Good to know
Adults	About $30	Includes the Met Cloisters within 3 days
Seniors and students	Reduced	With ID
Under 12	Free
New York State residents	Pay what you wish	Show proof of residency. Also NJ and CT students

Check metmuseum.org for current prices and any timed entry for special exhibitions.

Best (and worst) times to go

10 am on a weekday: quiet galleries for the first hour or two.

Friday and Saturday evenings: open late, with a relaxed atmosphere.

Worst: weekend afternoons, rainy days and US holidays.

Wednesdays: closed.

🔑 The free skip-the-line hack

Our hourly forecast for the Met shows how busy each hour is expected to be on your date.

Check today’s crowds at The Metropolitan Museum of Art →

FAQs

How much is the Met?

About $30 for adults from outside New York State. New York residents pay what they wish.

Is the Met closed on Wednesdays?

Yes, the Met's Fifth Avenue building is usually closed on Wednesdays. Check the official site for any changes.

What is the best time to visit the Met?

At 10 am on a weekday, or on a Friday or Saturday evening. Check our live crowd tracker for your date.

Sources

How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other, and dated so you know how fresh it is. Last checked 20 October 2026. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.

Getting there	Subway 4, 5 or 6 to 86th St, then walk west to Fifth Avenue. Or the M1-M4 buses on Fifth/Madison.
Hours	Usually 10 am to 5 pm, to 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Wednesdays.
How long to allow	3 hours or more.

How to Skip the Line at the Met

How long are the lines at the Met?

Tickets

Best (and worst) times to go

Insider tips that actually save time

Practical info

Mistakes that cost you an hour

Is skip-the-line worth paying extra for?

FAQs

How much is the Met?

Is the Met closed on Wednesdays?

What is the best time to visit the Met?

More New York guides

Sources