Cloud Nine at the Met

Taking one glance up at the sky can provide kids with endless amusement. They can look at planes passing by, see a flock of birds, or pick out clouds that look like an elephant, or perhaps a hippo. While stratus, cumulus, and cirrus clouds are Mother Nature’s form of built-in entertainment; Argentinean artist Tomás Saraceno has made his own interpretation on the top of NYC’s the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Overlooking Central Park, Cloud City is an interactive architectural structure comprised of 16 steel and glass modules that portray what living in the atmosphere might be like.

Visitors are invited to climb up and inside the structure, stand on top of glass floors, and capture a view of the Manhattan skyline. The geometric modules reflect light all around, much like if you were actually in a cloud! (Oh to be a little droplet…)

To kids, Cloud City will be the most expensive, high-concept “jungle gym” they’ll ever be inside, and for adults, it’s a beautiful, majestic structure that will make you see the city in a different light. But beware—because it can be disorienting, there are some rules, and age and height requirements. Book a reservation ahead of time to avoid any lines, and make sure you wear sensible shoes (no Jimmy Choo’s on this field trip, ladies)