On November 4th, Nathaniel’s class took a trip to the Met Cloisters.  Since The Cloisters are all the way in Washington Heights, we met at New York English Academy in the morning and headed out together around 11 am.  The journey to upper Manhattan takes about an hour. Luckily, we were able to take the A train all the way there, from Fulton St Station to Dyckman St Station.  The Met Cloisters is a museum specializing in European medieval art and architecture. A cloister is actually a type of covered walkway and this museum has 4!

Located in Fort Tryon Park, the museum is surrounded by lots of foliage. We visited just in time to see the changing leaves. The Cloisters even have medieval gardens as well as chapels and themed galleries.  Not only did we see paintings and sculptures, but we also saw manuscripts, tapestries, and stained glass works. It was a long journey but the experience was well worth it!

In a previous post, our teacher Shirley’s class took a trip to the National Museum of the American Indian. Since the museum is so close and admission is free, our teacher David took his class too! However this time there was a special exhibit for the Day of the Dead. After a 10 minute walk, our class lined up at the front of the museum’s steps to take a group photo.  Once inside, we visited the special exhibition, took pictures with the colorful display, and watched some short films that were projected inside. 

Going to a museum is actually a great way to study English! Reading about items on display helps us learn about the piece but we can learn new worlds at the same time. Plus, if you have trouble figuring out the meaning, the items on display can be used as a visual aid.  Before leaving we took turns taking pictures with the unique architecture.  We’ll be sure to visit again for the next special exhibition.

Our teacher Nathaniel’s class goes on a field trip every Friday after class.  This week, they took a trip to South Street Seaport.  A short walk from campus, South Street Seaport is a historic district where Fulton Street meets the East River.  The neighborhood is home to some of the oldest buildings in downtown Manhattan as well as a variety of shops and restaurants. There’s also the South Street Seaport Museum, which showcases New York’s history as a port. Admission is free!

Our class took pictures with Lightship Ambrose and Wavertree, 2 of South Street Seaport’s historical ships.  The Lightship Ambrose was built in 1908 and served as a beacon for local shipping channels.  Wavertree was a cargo ship built in 1885 and it is the largest ship made of iron to float! From Pier 17, there are excellent views of Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Bridge.