Metropolitan Museum of Art | Manhattan

The Metropolitan Museum of Art—commonly known as The Met—is the largest art museum in the United States and one of the most prestigious and comprehensive art institutions in the world. Located in New York City, it houses over two million works spanning 5,000 years of human history from every part of the globe.

General Information

Founded: 1870 by a group of American citizens including businessmen, artists, and philanthropists.

Opened to the public: February 20, 1872.

Main Location: 1000 Fifth Avenue, on the eastern edge of Central Park (Upper East Side of Manhattan).

Also includes:

The Met Cloisters (in Fort Tryon Park, focused on medieval European art and architecture).

The Met Breuer (previously used for modern and contemporary art, operated until 2020).

Architecture and Layout

The Met’s main building occupies over 2 million square feet, making it one of the largest museums in the world.

The building has expanded over the decades, with the Beaux-Arts façade on Fifth Avenue being its most iconic feature.

The museum is organized into wings and departments by region, time period, and medium.

Major Collections

1. Ancient Art

Egyptian Art: Mummies, tomb artifacts, statues, and the Temple of Dendur—an entire ancient Egyptian temple gifted by Egypt to the U.S. and reconstructed inside the museum.

Greek and Roman Art: Sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and frescoes from antiquity.

Ancient Near Eastern Art: Reliefs and artifacts from Assyria, Babylonia, and Persia.

2. European Paintings

One of the finest collections in the world, featuring masterpieces by:

Rembrandt, Vermeer, Rubens, Velázquez, Goya

Monet, Van Gogh, Manet, Degas, Renoir

Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, El Greco, Caravaggio

Famous works include Van Gogh’s "Self-Portrait", Vermeer’s "Young Woman with a Water Pitcher", and many more.

3. American Art

Includes works from the Colonial period through the early 20th century.

Artists include John Singer Sargent, Winslow Homer, Thomas Cole, and Georgia O’Keeffe.

4. Modern and Contemporary Art

Paintings, installations, photography, and sculpture by artists such as Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, and Louise Bourgeois.

5. Islamic Art

Calligraphy, textiles, ceramics, armor, and architectural elements from across the Islamic world, including a stunning reconstructed Moroccan courtyard.

6. Asian Art

Chinese scrolls and bronzes, Japanese samurai armor and woodblock prints, Korean ceramics, South Asian sculpture, and more.

A large Chinese garden court provides a tranquil experience within the museum.

7. African, Oceanic, and Indigenous American Art

Ritual objects, masks, sculptures, textiles, and tools from Sub-Saharan Africa, Polynesia, Melanesia, Australia, and the Americas.

8. Arms and Armor

Features ornate European, Japanese, and Islamic armor, swords, and firearms—one of the most popular exhibits, especially with younger visitors.

9. Musical Instruments

Historic and rare instruments from around the world, including violins, harpsichords, sitars, and lutes.

10. Decorative Arts and Period Rooms

Intricately furnished rooms from different historical eras and cultures, including French Rococo salons and American colonial interiors.

Special Exhibitions

Hosts rotating exhibitions throughout the year, often major scholarly and public events featuring:

Specific artists (e.g., Van Gogh, Costume Institute shows).

Time periods (e.g., Byzantine art, Art Deco).

Themes (e.g., religious iconography, fashion through the centuries).

The Costume Institute

Famous for curating the annual Met Gala, one of the most prestigious events in the fashion world.

Houses a vast collection of historical and contemporary fashion from around the globe.

Educational and Public Programs

The Met offers lectures, concerts, workshops, family programs, and film screenings.

Resources include guided tours, audio guides, and the MetKids interactive platform.

The museum is free for New York State residents and students from NY, NJ, and CT (pay-what-you-wish admission).

Cultural Impact

Serves over 6 million visitors per year (pre-pandemic), making it one of the most visited museums globally.

Appears frequently in literature, film, and pop culture (e.g., The Thomas Crown Affair, Ocean’s 8, and The Da Vinci Code).

Its steps, known as the "Met Steps", are a popular gathering place and cultural icon.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is not only a museum—it is a vast, living encyclopedia of human creativity, history, and imagination. It represents centuries of artistic achievement and provides a deep, enriching experience for all who visit.