The Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts exhibits that highlight paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, textiles, photography, and more from across continents. Additionally, the museum frequently collaborates with other institutions to present special exhibitions that offer unique insights into art history and cultural heritage.
The Met acquired its first exhibit object, a Roman sarcophagus, on 20 November 1870. The museum later went on to add to its collection 174 European paintings, including works by Anthony van Dyck, Nicolas Poussin, and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Today, the museum showcases tens of thousands of objects at any given time in its two-million-square-foot building.
