The Metropolitan Museum of Art Kicks Off Its 150th-Anniversary Year by Inviting All to Share Their Own Met Stories

Met Stories includes a monthly video series and an opportunity for the public
to submit personal stories, photos, and videos
about experiences related to the Museum

(New York, January 8, 2020)—Today, as part of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's yearlong 150th-anniversary celebration, the Museum launched Met Stories, a project to collect and share personal stories related to The Met.

The initiative includes a 12-part, monthly video series featuring a range of stories—serious, comedic, endearing, quirky, solemn, and more—to show how each visitor experiences The Met in their own way, whether it is a memory of a once-in-a-lifetime visit, an everyday encounter with art, a first date, or a school trip. The public is also invited to submit personal stories in the form of writing, photos, and videos using social media (hashtag #MyMetStory) or through a form on The Met's website. The Met will share select submissions on its social media channels and website throughout the year.

Max Hollein, Director of the Museum, commented, "The Met is full of stories, told by both the objects in its galleries and the many people who love this Museum. In the approach to this milestone year, we have been hearing fascinating stories about The Met—from the circumstances of its founding, to historic moments in its evolution, to the experiences of those who see The Met as their museum, their place of revelation, their space of comfort, their home away from home. This is a place where all are welcome, and everyone leaves with a story."

All year long, the Museum will share stories from artists, teachers, curators, actors, Museum staff, designers, thought leaders, and public figures. Reflections on inspiration, cultural continuity, and a museum's place in the world will be presented alongside memories of major life changes, loss, breakthroughs, and more. In episode 1, titled "Looking Back to Look Forward," Met image archivist Stephanie Post, educator and former Project Runway host Tim Gunn, and New York City Ballet dancer Silas Farley share how their encounters with history and the Museum inform their sense of self and their creative practices. The next episode will be released in early February.

About The Met's 150th Anniversary
In 2020, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding with a dynamic range of exhibitions, programs, and public events. Highlights of the year will include the exhibition Making The Met, 1870–2020, on view March 30–August 2; the opening of the newly renovated and reimagined galleries devoted to British decorative arts and design in March; the display of new gifts throughout the Museum; a three-day-long celebration in June; and a story-collecting initiative. More information is available at metmuseum.org/150.