Museum Hack Un-Highlights Tour of the Met, Ages 16+

Most Met tours line up the same famous pieces. The Un-Highlights Tour, run by Museum Hack, is built around the other stuff: the odd, lesser-known stories tucked away in the museum's vast collection, told by guides who clearly enjoy telling them. It lasts 90 minutes and moves at a lively pace. The tone is playful and a little irreverent, a deliberate break from the hushed museum visit, and the idea is simple: art does not have to be boring. It suits people who already love museums, and it may suit even better the friend who swears they do not. Come with a group of friends if you can; the stories land best when there is someone to laugh with. The tour is designed for visitors over 16, which keeps the conversation grown-up. Admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art is included, bookings are capped at 10 travelers, and the guiding is in English. You meet in the Great Hall, in front of the Egyptian pharaoh statue near the Information Desk. To get there, use the main entrance at 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue. Your guide wears a Museum Hack name badge and has the admission tickets ready. Every visitor goes through the museum's security check before reaching the Great Hall, so allow a few extra minutes. One thing to keep in mind when choosing a date: the Met on Fifth Avenue is closed on Wednesdays. Galleries can also close without notice, and the guide builds the route around whatever is open on the day.