Ghost Stories at the Met: A Macabre, Interactive Museum Tour

Every culture has something it is afraid of, and most of them put it into art. This two-hour themed tour of the Metropolitan Museum goes looking for it: the spooky, the ghoulish, the plainly gruesome, spread across continents and centuries. The guide picks works that talk to each other across cultures. You might stand in front of a Flying Dutchman, then an ancient funerary mask, then a still life, with sculpture in between. Egyptian, American and European art all feature, among others. At each stop the question is the same: how did these people picture what frightened them, and why that and not something else? The tour mixes discussion with activities and comes with handouts, so the group spends as much time looking and talking as listening. The operator recommends it for children aged 10 and up. Your museum ticket is included, and it stays valid after the tour ends, so you can keep exploring the Met on your own for the rest of the day. Bookings are limited to 10 travelers and the guide speaks English. The tour starts in the Great Hall at the giant seated Pharaoh, to the right of the central information desk. Running late? Call or text the number in the meeting-point details and your tickets will be left for you at the Group Check-in Desk. As always at the Met, security comes first, so leave time for the check at the entrance. Galleries can close without notice, and the guide works around any room that is shut on the day. Wheelchair users, strollers and service animals are all welcome.