Things You Learn From People Watching

A visitor alone, photographing sculptures. Images courtesy of the author

«From New Yorkers to tourists, thousands of people visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art every day. I have admired these people from afar for a while and believe they are a part of the art. With people drawing, viewing, and talking about the artworks, there is so much diversity in one place. I sometimes find myself overwhelmed by the chaos of my studies, family, friends, and everything else I have going on, but I never thought that there might be other people who feel the same way and also find a safe haven within the Met.»

It is amazing to see how many people choose to spend their alone time at the Met. Personally, I admire those people because I know many of us have a hard time going places on our own. During a recent visit, I noticed that the Museum's artworks inspire many artists and provide motionless models. I found two particularly inspired artists, a teen and an adult—both alone and very dedicated to their work. It was very interesting to compare the two. The teen seemed to be very proud of his work, and he was surprised that I asked to take pictures of him. On the other hand, the adult was very private, and he asked me not to capture his drawing in the pictures.

The last two visitors I spoke to were a couple I found sitting in The Temple of Dendur in The Sackler Wing. They told me that they only lived about ten blocks away and visit every now and then to sit in the galleries for a few hours. They said that it's a great excuse for them to get out of the house, knowing that they can't cover the entire Museum in one visit.

I found that many others spent a lot of time at a single painting or sculpture; some alone, a few with friends, and all very connected to what they were viewing. I am astonished by how connected and relaxed art can make us feel.

The next time you visit the Museum, pay attention to the people around you. You have the chance to experience it in a completely different way!