Highlights of the free event include a silent dance party in the Temple of Dendur, art-making activities, performances by Ballet Hispánico and the Youth Pride Chorus, and more
(New York, May 18, 2022)—On Friday, May 20, Teens Take The Met! will return to The Metropolitan Museum of Art as an in-person event for the first time since November 2019, welcoming thousands of teens from New York's five boroughs for a dynamic night of performances, hands-on activities, dancing, and giveaways. The event began in 2014 and encourages teens—many of whom are visiting The Met for the first time—to immerse themselves in participatory experiences while exploring the Museum. Following last year’s virtual program, which drew more than 18,000 participants from all over the world, this year’s event will be held on-site with 39 community partners. Teens Take The Met! is free for all teens (age 13 or older) with a middle school or high school ID. Advance RSVP is recommended but not required.
The event is made possible by the Gray Foundation.
“We are thrilled to host this very special edition of Teens Take The Met!, marking a return to in-person engagement for young people,” said Heidi Holder, Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chair of Education. “We are proud to create a space that celebrates the bright, vibrant spirits of our teen visitors, who continue to demonstrate the incredible creativity and resilience of this city. The special evening is co-created and co-organized by MetTeens in our High School Internship Program for teens from all five boroughs and beyond. On this night, teens truly take over The Met!”
To participate, teens will need a special-event wristband, which they can pick up upon arrival at either of the Museum’s two Fifth Avenue entrances (at 81st and 83rd Streets). Pop-up performances outside The Met, at 5 and 6:45 p.m. by the Susan E. Wagner High School Marching Band and at 6 p.m. by the Bard High School Early College Manhattan Panthers Step Team, will entertain guests during check-in. The wristbands will provide access to teen-only activities throughout the building.
A wide and engaging variety of interactive stations, performances, and activities have been created for the event, which includes free snacks and photo opportunities. Art making, hands-on learning, and thought-provoking discussions led by The Met and partner institutions will be scattered throughout the galleries. Highlights include: Latin social dance performances and demonstrations taught by Ballet Hispánico; a silent dance party in the Temple of Dendur; pop-up performances with the Youth Pride Chorus; and an Afrofuturism selfie station inspired by the Museum’s exhibition Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room.
A full schedule of events can be found on the Teens Take The Met! online hub in both English and Spanish.
Large-print and Braille activity schedules, American Sign Language interpretation, sighted guides, and assistive-listening devices will be available at the information desk in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education. For information about accessibility, programs, and services for visitors with disabilities at both The Met Fifth Avenue, visit metmuseum.org/access, email access@metmuseum.org, or call 212-650-2010.
Face coverings are required for all visitors age 2 and older, even if you are vaccinated. In keeping with public health recommendations, we strongly recommend vaccinations for our visitors. Read visitor guidelines here.
Community Partners
92Y Center for Arts Learning & Leadership; All-City High School Latin Ensemble; Art and Resistance Through Education (ARTE); ArtsConnection; Ballet Hispánico; Bard High School Early College Manhattan; Brooklyn Museum; Brooklyn Public Library; Building Beats; The Center for Anti-Violence Education; The Center for Architecture; The Center for Book Arts; El Museo del Barrio; Epic Theatre Ensemble; Hill Art Foundation; Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum; Latimer Heights; Manhattan Theatre Club; Museum of Chinese in America; New Victory Theater; New York City Writing Project at Lehman College; New York Hall of Science; New-York Historical Society; The Noguchi Museum; NYC Department of Youth & Community Development; Pioneer Works; Planned Parenthood of Greater New York; Poster House; Project Rousseau; Queens Botanical Garden; Scholastic Art & Writing Awards; Snug Harbor Cultural Center; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum; The Studio Museum in Harlem; Susan E. Wagner High School Marching Band; Teens@Graham; Urban Word NYC; UrbanGlass; Writopia Lab; and Youth Pride Chorus.
Teen Programs are made possible by New York Life Foundation, Gray Foundation, The Enoch Foundation, an Anonymous Foundation, Constance Goulandris Foundation, Estate of Lillian Hirschmann, and Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation. Additional support for High School Internships is provided by Mr. and Mrs. Marvin H. Schein, Joseph and Sylvia Slifka Fund for High School Internships, Adams & Company Real Estate, The Billy Rose Foundation, and The Zeldin Family Foundation.
The event will be featured on The Met’s website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via the hashtag #metteens.
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May 18, 2022
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