Did you know...?
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The Met was born in 1870 thanks to a crew of businessmen, artists, and cultural enthusiasts who thought New York needed a world-class art museum. They opened two years later... with just a Roman sarcophagus and 174 European paintings in a tiny building on Fifth Avenue.
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The museum moved to its current Central Park spot in 1880. And while it’s been expanded like crazy since then, you can still spot the original building—tucked inside the Robert Lehman Wing like a time capsule hidden in plain sight.
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It’s not just big—it’s massive. The Met is the largest art museum in the U.S. and the Americas, with over 2 million works. If you spent just 30 seconds per piece, you'd be there for over six months straight.
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The building itself is basically its own city block. It stretches nearly a quarter mile and is made up of over 20 different connected structures. There’s a reason you feel like you’re getting lost in there... because you are.
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At one point, the Met proudly displayed a “priceless ancient tiara.” Except—plot twist—it turned out to be a 19th-century fake. Made by a crafty Russian sculptor. Experts were not thrilled.
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Think those iconic Met steps are part of the museum? Technically, they’re city property. So whether you’re eating lunch, people-watching, or recreating a Gossip Girl moment—you’re doing it on public ground.
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For years, the Met operated on a “suggested donation” policy. Tourists often paid the full $30 without realizing they didn’t have to—until 2018, when they made that price mandatory for non–New York State residents.
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The Met Gala isn’t just about fashion and memes. It’s a fundraiser for the Costume Institute—and unless Anna Wintour personally signs off on you, no amount of money will get you in.
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More than half of the Met’s collection isn’t on view. Millions of works are kept in storage, waiting their turn. So even if you go every weekend for a year, you’re still only scratching the surface.
Which one surprised you most? Drop your favorite fun fact in the comments—or tell us your ultimate Met must-see.
