The Met has long been a place where the flowerings of different centuries and cultures quietly coexist, an orderly home of Apollonian calm. But the installation, “Big Bambú: You Can’t, You Don’t, and You Won’t Stop,” is a startling departure. Where once there were uninterrupted vistas of the city’s skyline and Central Park, there are now thickets and elevated walkways winding through them.
Museum officials estimate that some 400,000 people (depending on weather) will see “Big Bambú” before it is dismantled at the end of October. All visitors will be able to stroll the roof’s main level. The paths above, however, will be limited to guided groups of 10 to 15 people, twice an hour. Those visitors will need timed tickets and a sturdy pair of rubber-soled shoes. Navigating the bamboo heights does present challenges, so the Met has trained its guides carefully for all kinds of eventualities, including a sudden attack of acrophobia.
