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Provenance Research at The Met

About Us

Every one of the more than 1.5 million objects in The Met collection has a unique history, purpose, and context. Part of the Museum’s mission is to research and present the provenance of every piece in our care. This work enables the Met to continuously expand and diversify the narratives we present in the galleries and on the website. When, how, and where was each piece in The Met’s stewardship created? Who made it, and why? What journey did it take to New York?

The provenance team works with The Met’s curators, conservators, and scientists, as well as internal and external partners, in conducting a systematic review of the provenance of the Museum’s holdings and ensuring that all objects entering the collection meet The Met’s strict collecting policies. The Met is a leader in the field in providing provenance information on most of our collection, with hundreds of thousands of objects available online.

Meet the teamRecent news
FEATURED

Collaborative Research Conducted by The Met and the Republic of Iraq

As part of this collaboration, The Met initiated the return of the sculpture Vessel Stand with Ibex to Iraq, which was marked by a ceremony held at the Museum.

Read the press release

Provenance Initiatives

All research resources

A marble Puteal (wellhead) with Narcissus and Echo, and Hylas and the Nymphs.
Research
Archaeological Materials, Ancient Art, and Cultural Property
The Met is committed to the responsible collecting of ancient art, archaeological materials, and other cultural property, including works of art from once-colonized areas, and goes to great lengths to ensure that all objects entering the collection meet its strict collecting policies.
Color photograph of provenance research book covers.
Research
Nazi-Era Provenance Research
In response to the systematic, widespread looting by the Nazi regime, the provenance of works that changed hands in German-occupied Europe during the Nazi era has long been an area of particular focus for The Met.
A grey square shaped stone with an engraved scene photographed against a grey background.
Collaboration
Repatriated Objects
Sometimes The Met learns through its own research or from an outside source that a work should be returned to its country of origin, based on our policies and the laws of the country in which it originated. Learn about objects that The Met has returned.

Resources for Provenance Research

Articles, Audio, and Video

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Featured

Medieval-style hall with brick arches and statues, illuminated by lanterns arranged around a central stone structure.
A Medieval Imagination
Discover how American sculptor George Grey Barnard’s fascination with medieval European art inspired an enterprising collection and the eventual foundation of The Met Cloisters.
Shirin Fozi and Julia Perratore
November 13, 2025
Two people at a desk with a large computer monitor. One person points to an image on the screen.
Video
A New Chapter for the Ibex
In a collaborative research project between The Met and the Republic of Iraq, cutting-edge technology uncovers the story of an ancient Mesopotamian sculpture.
September 30, 2025
A collage of five artworks against a light parchment background.
Marking International Provenance Research Day at The Met
Five case studies for select recent acquisitions demonstrate the varied and complex nature of provenance research at The Met.
Lucian Simmons, Maya Muratov, Christine E. Brennan, Ria Breed, Anne Dunn-Vaturi, Michael Seymour, and Mary Chan
April 8, 2025

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