History of the Met
The idea of an extensive collection of art pieces displayed for American audiences in New York was first proposed by an American lawyer, John Jay, in 1866. He was joined in this quest by various artists, art collectors, businessmen, civic leaders, and philanthropists. In April 1830, the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened its doors for the first time at 81 Fifth Avenue. The first objects acquired and displayed at the museum contained a Roman sarcophagus and over 170 European paintings, including ones created by Nicolas Poussin and Giovanni Battista Tiepolo.
The museum was relocated to its current location on 82nd Street and Fifth Avenue in 1880. The architecture of the new museum building on Fifth Avenue was designed in a Ruskinian Gothic style by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould. Since then, the building has undergone several additions and renovations. The original architecture is now surrounded by new structures. Some parts of the original architecture are still visible in the Robert Lehman Wing.
In December 1902, the famous Beaux-Arts Fifth Avenue front and the museum’s great hall, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, were opened to the public. These new additions were highly praised by visitors and local art enthusiasts. Many national and international newspapers also raved about these features, calling the museum building a masterpiece that approaches the grace and grandeur of the museums of the old world.
