Metropolitan Museum of Art

Travel New York

By: iMinds

Narrated by: Vanessa DeSilvio

Length: 6 mins

Publisher's summary

Learn about the history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York with iMinds Travel's insightful fast knowledge series. Where can you find Ancient Greek and Roman artefacts sitting with twentieth century French impressionist masterpieces? Where can shining suits of armour be compared with traditional Korean dresses? One of the world’s largest and most encyclopaedic collections of art lies in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art. Affectionately known as The ‘Met’, it is the largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere, housing over 2 million artefacts. The Met is the heart of Museum Mile, a stretch of Fifth Avenue that runs along the eastern side of Central Park and is home to ten museums including the Guggenheim and the International Centre of Photography. Of all these, the Met is undoubtedly the star attraction and it is the single largest tourist attraction in a city that boasts many. In 140 years the museum has built, from nothing, one of the richest collections in the world.

The museum was founded in 1870. The city was on the rise, Central Park was being completed and though such icons as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building were a few years away from being built, the city was beginning to take its shape. In the wake of the Civil War, New York City was fast becoming a commercial and industrial capital, with many major companies being run from the small island of Manhattan. Newly wealthy businessmen as well as civic leaders, artists and intellectuals saw an opportunity to make their mark on the up-and-coming city. They believed in the power of art to educate and enlighten and they felt they were in a position to both educate the masses and make some money while doing so.

©2009 iMinds Pty Ltd (P)2015 Audible, Inc.

US Largest Art Museum Incorporated in 1870

This six minute short listen is a great introduction to the Met in New York City, which boasts more than two million works of art and 17 curatorial departments. Founded in 1870 to bring art and art education to the American people, the museum first opened its doors in 1872. The museum's collection includes works from around the world dating from medieval times up to the current age, and covers every type of art imaginable: paintings, sculpture, costumes, weapons, armor, musical instruments, drawings, photography, interiors, film and a rooftop garden. The Met draws visitors from around the world, The building(s) are owned and governed by the City of New York. However, the art collections are owned by a separate organization, governed by a Board of Trustees.

Great, but only 6 minutes long.

Worthy of a much longer Audible, or better yet, a video to be able to showcase the museum and its collections.