Become a Work of Art for Halloween!

Happy Halloween, #MetKids! GIF by author

«Trick or treat! Have you ghouls and goblins prepared your costumes for Halloween? What about your route for the best candy in your neighborhood? If you haven't, we've got some great inspiration for masks, costumes, and props to help get you into the Halloween spirit. »

Make a Mismatched Mask

With Halloween right around the corner, the artworks in the galleries are coming to life! In fact, #MetKids animators helped create some fantastic faces using works of art from The Met collection. Watch #MetKids—Making Faces for inspiration and create your own mask using cutouts of faces for a fanciful costume!

Gather Your Powers

Helmet mask, 19th–20th century. Sierra Leone, Moyamba region. Mende or Sherbro peoples. Wood, metal, H. 47.9 cm (18 7/8 in); W. 22.2 cm (8 3/4 in); D. 23.5 cm (9 1/4 in). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Robert and Nancy Nooter, 1982 (1982.489)

Masks shaped like helmets, like the one shown above, were worn in secret ceremonies that celebrated girls becoming adults. The face on this helmet mask might represent the guardian spirit of Sande, who was believed to live in dark water at the bottom of a river, and the animal horns may have held magical ingredients that could cure illness. If you could make your own magical helmet mask, what ingredients would you fill it with? What powers would it give you?

Be a Warrior Deity

Fudō Myōō, 12th century. Japan. Joined-woodblock construction with traces of color and cut-gold, H. 162 cm (63 3/4 in). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and the Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975 (1975.268.163)

For those who believe in evil spirits, you'll definitely want the wrathful protector Fudō Myōō on your side. Fudō Myōō uses his lasso and sword to capture and defeat evil. He is friendly to people, but is a fierce warrior against evil spirits.

Dress up Your Best Friend

Kunz Lochner (German, 1510–1567). Horse armor made for Johann Ernst, Duck of Saxony-Coburg, 1548. Steel, leather, copper alloy, textile, Wt. including saddle 41.73 kg (92 lbs.). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Rogers Fund, 1932 (32.69)

Everyone deserves to have a thrilling costume for Halloween, even your pets! This horse had armor just like its knight. Although the armor looks like it might have made it difficult for the horse and the knight to run into battle, there were hinges at the joints that made it easy to move around. Is your pet coming trick or treating with you? Make them their own protective armor.

Map the Neighborhood

The Limbourg Brothers (France, 1399–1416). The Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry, 1405–1408/1409. Tempura, gold, and ink on vellum, Single leaf, overall: L. 23.8 cm (9 3/8 in); W. 17 cm (6 11/16 in); Double leaf, overall: L. 23.8 cm (9 3/8 in); W. 34.1 cm (13 7/16 in). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1a, b)

Do you have a map to help you find the best candy on the block? The Limbourg Brothers have just what you need. This page from a book of hours contains a guide for travelers to find their way. Maybe it can help you, too! Draw a map of the best places to find Halloween treasures in your neighborhood!

Happy Halloween!