The Museum's Permanent Collection
How can I obtain more information about a work of art in
the Museum's permanent collection?
The Metropolitan Museum's collection includes more than two million works of
art. Information and images of more than 100,000 of these works is available
online in the Collection
Database. In addition, the Museum's
Provenance Research Project, a list of all European paintings in the
collection with an incomplete provenance for the Nazi era, is available online
and lists all such paintings alphabetically by artist.
The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History places
objects from the collection in various chronological, geographic, and thematic
contexts.
Many works of art in the Museum's collection are reproduced in various
Metropolitan publications. For an online list of published resources about
works in the collection, see Met Publications
or visit the online
Met Store
Many Museum publications are available, on a noncirculating basis, to the
general public in the Library and Teacher
Resource Center in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education,
and to qualified researchers in the Thomas J.
Watson Library Consult
Watsonline, the online catalogue of the holdings of the Museum's
libraries, to determine the location and availability of a particular book.
How can I find out if a particular work of art in
the collection is currently on display in the Museum?
When visiting the Museum, you can check with the Information Desk located in the
Great Hall. Please provide the Visitor Services representative with as much
information as possible, including artist, title, nationality, type of object,
and approximate date.
Reproductions
of Met Objects
Can I obtain a photograph of a work of art in the
Museum's collection for study, educational, or personal use?
Yes. For further information, see the Image
Library. The Met Store also sells a wide range of postcards, posters,
and prints of works from the collection. You can browse the online
Met Store by artist or art historical period.
How do I obtain a photograph of a work of art
from the collection for reproduction in a publication?
See Make a request for study, editorial,
or commercial use
for information on policies and procedures.
Can I download an image of a work of art reproduced
on the Museum's website?
Yes, but only for personal or educational use. Please see Terms
and Conditions for restrictions.
Research
How can I obtain more information about a work of art,
artist, or art-related topic that is not necessarily represented in the
Metropolitan's collection?
The Museum's Hazen Center for Electronic
Information Resources contains hundreds of art-related and general
resources, with links, for online research. The Hazen Center also provides a
list of published and online reference resources. In addition, the online
Met Store offers a wide range of art reference and research
publications.
Appraisals
Does the Museum appraise or authenticate works of art?
No. You should consult a reputable art dealer, appraiser, or auction house.
How can I find out the value of an artwork in my own
collection?
The Museum does not evaluate or authenticate works of art. You should consult a
reputable art dealer, appraiser, or auction house. In addition the following
published reference works may be helpful: Annual Art Sales Index, Gordon's
Print Price Annual, Leonard's Annual Price Index of Art Auctions,
and Mayer's International Auction Records.
Acquisitions
Does the Museum still acquire works of art?
Yes. Thanks to the resourcefulness of the Museum's curatorial staff and the
generosity of its donors, the Metropolitan is still able to acquire, through
gift and purchase, masterworks of the highest quality and importance. See
Recent Acquisitions for more information.
For information about the Museum's policies that guide the development and
care—including acquisition—of its permanent collection, see the
Collections Management Policy
Contact Information
See Contact Information.
