Commuter Corner: Metropolitan Museum of Art Clarifies Suggested Donation, New Exhibits Abound

Events and things to do in New York City in January 2014

Museum Under Fire

Back in October, the Metropolitan Museum of Art made headlines thanks to a lawsuit regarding its admission policy. Private citizens sued the museum, claiming it violated its lease with the city by charging admission fees. The prosecution claimed that museum signs listing “suggested” donation amounts were unclear and deceptive. But all’s well that ends well: The state judge ruled in favor of the museum, validating its pay-what-you-wish policy; so if you don’t want to shell out the suggested $25 donation, you can still get in by forking over whatever your budget allows. The Met has some stellar exhibitions for 2014 — both new and ongoing since last year — so make time to check them out on your lunch break or while waiting for a late train home. Here are three highlights:

Interwoven Globe: The Worldwide Textile Trade, 1500–1800 Hurry if you want to catch this one: It closes on January 5. Comprised of 134 textile works, including tapestries, costumes, and church vestments, the exhibit reveals how design evolved over three centuries — and how the textile trade kept different cultures connected during that time.

Jewels by JAR Paris-based artist Joel A. Rosenthal (aka JAR) has been designing jewelry since the 1970s. Consisting of some of his finest pieces, the exhibition is the first U.S. retrospective of his work, as well as the first show at the Met devoted to a contemporary gem artist. Through March 9.

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The American West in Bronze, 1850-1925 The Wild West has fascinated Americans since colonial times. This exhibit of bronze sculptures examines how our interest in the region has been interpreted over the years, and how it shaped our culture. Through April 13.

Share Your Story

On a winter evening a few years ago, I left work for my 60-minute drive home down Route 9. The light snow that was falling became a heavy snowstorm. After a tense two hours I finally got within three miles of my home. Then the traffic came to a dead stop. One hour passed, then two… I ended up trapped in my car for almost five hours before the flow of traffic resumed. I might have lost my mind from boredom, but fortunately my then 11-year-old daughter called during my imprisonment and kept my spirits up by asking me quizzes from Tiger Beat magazine with titles like “What Kind of a Girlfriend Are You?” I learned a lot about myself that day. — Frank Roberts, Ossining

Have a commuting saga you’d like to share? Tell us about it by submitting it to the form below, and we’ll consider printing it in a future issue.

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