Located in Manhattan, The Cloisters is part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This is a "museum experience" not to be missed. The building itself is a collection of medieval art. It consists of elements from five French cloisters and gardens planted with historic plants from medieval times and poetry. Every step through the museum is an educational and emotional experience. This is without even considering the items contained in the building. The view of the Hudson River is incredible, as well.
The museum evolved from the collection of American George Grey Barnard who was a dealer of medieval sculpture and architectural pieces in France. His personal collection was displayed on Fort Washington Avenue. When John D. Rockefeller, Jr. purchased the museum and all of the art collection, he donated the land for the new, larger museum. He even donated a piece of land in New Jersey to ensure the view would remain the same from the building. Rockefeller also donated some of his own pieces of medieval art to the new museum. "The Hunt of the Unicorn" tapestries was among these. These tapestries are one of the most popular exhibits in the Cloisters and one of my favorites.
The piece in the museum that most impressed me on my trip was the Boxwood Rosary Bead. This was a gift of J. Pierpont Morgan. The piece is only slightly over 2 inches in diameter, which seems impossible considering the amount of detail it contains.
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