Cecil College’s Art Department hosts annual trips to New York City and this semester’s trip was on April 25. Students, faculty, and community members gathered at 7 am in front of the Milburn Theatre to catch the school-provided bus into the city. Upon reaching NYC at ten o’clock, the group was dropped off at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and given two hours to explore.

Among the exhibits featured in The Met was a section on European painters (including artists such as Monet and Van Gogh), an exhibit displaying what it would have been like to be a visitor to Versailles, and a hall of marble statues. Visitors can stroll from exhibit to exhibit either of their own volition, with an audio tour, or with a guided in-person tour. It can be a bit overwhelming to take in all of The Met in one day, so it’s recommended to focus on one or two sections at a time.

After finishing at The Met the bus took the group to the Chelsea District to explore its over 100 galleries. The galleries in Chelsea are free for visitors to wander in and out of and they range from classic European paintings to modern graphic art. A unique exhibit at the Jim Kemper Fine Art Gallery was titled “Unsung” and involved portraits by Carole Freeman of lesser-known American figures that have impacted society. Among these are figures such as Jerrie Cobb—the first female to pass the qualifying exams for NASA but was denied entrance because of her gender (pictured to the left)—and Amy Goodman, whom the “Rolling Stone” proclaimed “guardian of truth” for her tireless work in the field of journalism.

The trip ended in Little Italy for dinner and dessert and the group arrived back at the college around 10 pm. For those who are disappointed they missed the trip, there will be another trip next spring. This upcoming fall there will be a number of student trips to other cities and museums. Prices, dates, and times will vary so students are recommended to watch the e-blast in their emails and the events page on the Squawk website for more information.