The Metropolitan Museum of Art Books

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, founded in 1870, stands as the largest art museum in the United States. Its initial purpose was to foster the study of fine arts and their application to practical life. The museum has consistently adhered to this foundational statement of purpose, which it has since expanded into a comprehensive mission. Today, the Met is dedicated to collecting, preserving, studying, exhibiting, and advancing knowledge and appreciation of artworks that represent the broad spectrum of human achievement at the highest quality, all for the public's benefit.