The Met Collection
When The Met was founded in 1870, it owned not a single work of art. Through the combined efforts of generations of curators, researchers, and collectors, our collection has grown to represent more than 5,000 years of art from across the globe—from the first cities of the ancient world to the works of our time.
A First Look
Collection Highlights
Browse collection highlights selected by curators from the Museum's seventeen curatorial departments.
Open Access Artworks
Enjoy more than 406,000 hi-res images of public-domain works from the collection, all of which can be downloaded, shared, and remixed without restriction.
Modern and Contemporary Art at The Met
View the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art's rich holdings—more than 12,000 works of art across a broad range of media from 1900 to the present.
Spotlights on the Collection
Vincent van Gogh
See a selection of works in our collection from this great master, who has come to be regarded as a vanguard figure in the history of modern art.
Netsuke
Browse more than 1,000 examples of netsuke—ornately carved miniatures worn as part of traditional Japanese dress.
Gold
From gold leaf to gold crowns, this set of fourteen objects from across the Museum is full of shine.
Explore Related Content
MetCollects
MetCollects celebrates works of art new to the Museum's collection through the fresh eyes of photographers and the enthusiastic voices of leading scholars and artists.
Timeline of Art History
The Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History pairs essays and works of art with chronologies to tell the story of art and global culture through The Met collection.
Protecting Cultural Heritage
Director Max Hollein reflects on the multiple roles of The Met and the ways in which he will help lead the Museum on issues of cultural heritage.
