New York City is known for its wide diversity as a cultural mecca for art, particularly when it comes to museums. Two of these important institutions are the Frick Collection and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Each museum offers a glimpse of past creativity, all while remaining interesting in exhibiting works of various styles and periods. Although the two museums have similar goals in their mission statements, differences in space, structure, and healing art philosophies set them apart. In 1870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded by a group of businessmen and artists who wanted a place to showcase and educate the public about a variety of art. This museum houses paintings, sculptures, costumes, musical instruments and ancient weapons. The works range from classical antiquity through European masters to modern art. The Frick Collection opened to the public in 1935, transforming Henry Frick's mansion into a gallery displaying his vast collection of European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, and sculptures. Both museums have a similar mission, with the Frick Museum's directive to preserve Henry Frick's art collection and exhibit it to the public, and the Met's goal to encourage and develop fine arts education. One distinction between the two is the huge difference in size. Although the Frick Museum has undergone several expansions, it is dwarfed by the magnitude of the work the Met is able to exhibit. The Frick can be seen in its entirety in a few hours, while the Met would need several visits to be fully explored. The Frick's rooms are furnished with furniture as they may have been when it was inhabited. The works in each room were arranged according to Henry Frick's layman... center of the paper... constant flow through the rooms and navigation throughout was simple. The purpose of every museum is to educate the public by displaying works of art. While the Met has a wider variety to offer the public in terms of styles and periods, the Frick has a differently curated collection that reflects the Frick's personal tastes. Despite their differences, both museums succeed in achieving the goals set out in their mission statements, and both can be visually exhilarating experiences. Works Cited http://www.frick.org/about/mission http://www.thefrickpittsburgh.org/ collection_exhibitions/fine.php http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/collection/the-frick-collection http ://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/mission-statement http://www.metmuseum.org/about-the-museum/history-of-the-museum/main-buildinghttp://metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/437372