Sight(s)

Natural History Museum

Photograph: Ben Goldstein

Trees

Natural History Museum (Central Park West at 79th St, 212-769-5100) Decorated with intricate origami ornaments, this original tree is crowned with a floating star sculpture. There are several beautifully constructed dragons wrapped around it that overwhelm the display—the tree itself is hardly visible. You’ll find a few other unsuccessful details, like the signage describing the ornaments, which looks like an afterthought.

Lincoln Center (Broadway at 62nd St, 212-875-5000) Ungracefully installed so that it obscures Lincoln Center’s large fountain, this tree has an unattractive structure around its base and is decorated with large—on-steroids large—blue and white objects and ornaments resembling icicles. It’s crowned, not with an angel or dramatic star, but with another icicle. How anticlimactic.

The Metropolitan Museum (1000 Fifth Ave at 81st St, 212-535-7710) The theme is the birth of Christ, and not a detail is overlooked. The classical walnut base is perfect; the fabrics of the Three Kings’ cloaks are antique textiles in miniature; the colors of the angels’ taffeta are ethereal. Every angel gazes at the newborn in the manger, their faces beautifully lit. I searched for the light source but it’s not to be found. It must come from Heaven.

The WINNER
The highlight of all the displays is the tree at the Met. It truly evokes the spirit of Christmas.

Critiqued by designer and architect Stephen Miller Siegel (stephenmillersiegel.com)