A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 by a group of American citizens – businessmen and financiers as well as leading arists and thinkers of the day – who wanted to create a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. The Metropolitan's paintings collection also began in 1870, when three private European collections, 174 paintings in all, came to the Museum. A variety of excellent Dutch and Flemish paintings, including works by such artists as Hals and Van Dyck, was supplemented with works by such great European artists as Poussin, Tiepolo, and Guardi. The collections continued to grow for the rest of the 19th century – upon the death of John Kensett, for example, 38 of his canvases came to the Museum. But it is the 20th century that has seen the Museum's rise to the position of one of the world's great art centers. Some highlights: a work by Renoir entered the Museum as early as 1907 (today the Museum has become one of the world's great repositories of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art)...in 1910 the Metropolitan was the first public institution to accept works of art by Matisse...by 1979 the Museum owned five of the fewer than 40 known Vermeers...the Department of Greek and Roman Art now oversees thousands of objects, including one of the finest collections in glass and silver in the world...The American Wing holds the most comprehensive collection of American art, sculpture, and decorative arts in the world...the Egyptian art collection is the finest outside Cairo...the Islamic art collection is without peer...and so on, through many of the 17 curatorial departments. In 1880, the Metropolitan Museum moved to its current site in Central Park. The original Gothic-Revival-style building has been greatly expanded in size since then, and the various additions (built as early as 1888) now completely surround the original structure. The present facade and entrance structure along Fifth Avenue were completed in 1926. A comprehensive architectural plan for the Museum approved in 1971 was completed in 1991. The architects for the project were Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates, and the overall aim was to make the Museum's collections more accessible to the public, more useful to the scholars and, in general, more interesting and informative to all visitors. Among the additions to the Museum as part of the master plan are: the Robert Lehman Wing (1975), which houses an extraordinary collection of Old Masters, as well as Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art; the installation in The Sackler Wing of the Temple of Dendur (1978), an Egyptian monument (ca. 15 B.C.) that was given to the United States by Egypt; The American Wing (1980), whose magnificent collection also includes 24 period rooms offering an unparalleled view of American art history and domestic life; The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing (1982) for the display of the arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas; the Lila Acheson Wallace Wing (1987), which houses modern art; and the Henry R. Kravis Wing, devoted to European sculpture and decorative arts from the Renaissance to the beginning of the 20th century. With the building now complete, the Metropolitan Museum continues to refine and reorganize the collections in its existing spaces. In June 1998, the Arts of Korea gallery opened to the public, completing a major suite of galleries – a "museum within the Museum" – devoted to the arts of Asia. October 1999 the renovated Ancient Near Eastern Galleries reopened. And a complete renovation and reinstallation of the Greek and Roman Galleries is underway: the first phase, The Robert and Renйe Belfer Court for early Greek art, opened in June 1996; the New Greek Galleries premiered in April 1999; and in April 2000 the Cypriot Galleries will open to the public. # # # European Sculpture, Paintings and Decorative Arts The European Sculpture Court features 17th and 18th century French and Italian sculpture in a gallery filled with natural light. Note that the original exterior wall of the Metropolitan Museum makes up one wall of this gallery. This wall exemplifies the neo-Gothic granite and red brick facade from Calvert Vaux's 1880 design. The galleries for 19th century European paintings were recently redone. Beaux-Art style, which is more consistent with the original design of the Metropolitan and with the architectural style at the time the paintings were completed, replaced more contemporary, free-floating walls. Look for rooms full of works by the likes of Degas, Manet, Van Gogh as well as the 53 Impressionist and Post-impressionist masterpieces which make up the Annenberg Collection (on view each year from late May to late November). The Metropolitan has extensive holdings in the realm of European Decorative Art. This becomes evident as you pass through room after room of ornate furnishings. The collection is particularly strong in 18th century French interiors and objects. The American Wing If we had to choose our favorite spot in the entire museum, the American Wing would probably be it. We especially love relaxing in the Charles Engelhard Court where you can soak in the sunshine and the views of Central Park through the windows that cover one wall; admire the intricate columns and colorful stained glass windows of Tiffany design; enjoy the whimsy of the subjects chosen for the statuary; and survey the stateliness of the United States Branch Bank facade, which was carefully moved to the museum and which makes up the north wall of Engelhard Court. A significant portion of the American Wing is devoted to 24 period rooms, which show the range in American design from colonial times through the fussiness of the Victorian era to the return of simple forms in the Frank Lloyd Wright living room. The Luce Center, where more than half of the museum's collection of 15,000 American paintings, sculptures and decorative objects are on view, also takes up a fair amount of space. This exhibit interests us mostly for the sheer magnitude of beautiful objects on display. The Costume Institute Hidden away in the Egyptian section is a flight of stone steps leading down to the Costume Institute. While it may not be easy to find, the Institute's attractive and often thought-provoking exhibits make it worth seeking out. Roof Garden If the views of Central Park throughout the museum make you long to be outdoors, hop on one of the elevators near the European Sculpture Court and head up to the Roof Garden. Open from May 1 to late October (weather permitting), the Roof Garden offers views of large-scale sculptures (such as Rodin's The Burghers of Calais) as well as magnificent views of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline. Beverages (cappuccino, espresso, soft drinks, iced tea, wine, and beer) are served daily from 10 am until closing. This is an especially nice spot at sunset on Friday and Saturday evenings. http://www.metmuseum.org/

The Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street New York, New York 10028-0198 General Information: 212-535-7710 Directions Hours Friday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Saturday 9:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Sunday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Monday Closed Tuesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Wednesday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Thursday 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Closed Mondays, January 1, Thanksgiving Day, December 25 Visitors will not be permitted to enter the Museum after 5:15 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and after 8:45 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The continued support of the City of New York enables the Museum to keep the vast majority of its galleries open at all times. Regrettably, however, on Sunday certain galleries open at 11:00 a.m. Additional closings may also occur occasionally during day and evening Museum hours. Admission Admission includes Main Building and The Cloisters on the same day. To help cover the cost of special exhibitions, for which there is no additional charge or special ticketing, we ask that you please pay the full suggested amount. Adults: $10.00 suggested Students and Senior Citizens: $5.00 suggested Museum Members and Children under 12 (with adult): free Group Visits Advance reservations are required for all groups of six or more adults, or ten or more students with chaperons. Gallery Photography Policy Still photography is permitted for private, noncommercial use only in the Museum's galleries devoted to the permanent collection. Photographs cannot be published, sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed, or otherwise commercially exploited in any manner whatsoever. Photography is not permitted in special exhibitions or areas designated as "No Photography"; works of art on loan from private collections or other institutions may not be photographed. The use of a flash is prohibited. Movie and video cameras are prohibited. Tripods are allowed on weekdays only, and only with a permit issued by the Information Desk in the Great Hall. Sketching with pencil, felt tip, ballpoint, crayon, pastel, and charcoal is permitted in all galleries of the Museum devoted to the permanent collection and in most special exhibitions. Inquire at the Information Desk in the Great Hall regarding current special exhibitions in which sketching is permitted. The use of ink, fountain pen, and watercolor is prohibited. While sketching, please do not hinder the normal traffic flow in the galleries.