Imaginary Patron Hours with Guest Contributor Mo Willems

Mo Willems

January 14, 2021

In front of a teal background, a bird-like cartoon creature with eyes on stalks grasps a self-portrait by Vincent van Gogh. Text above reads "Imaginary Patron Hours. Text to the left reads "THE MET. An Art and Doodle project by Mo Willems and You."

Do you know Mo Willems, the award-winning author, illustrator, animator, and playwright? Mo created Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, the animated series Sheep in the Big City, and a lot more. He is also a longtime member here at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and he sent this to us to share with you:

I love The Met. Even though I have been going to the Museum for more than thirty years, I always discover something new each time I visit. Would you like to visit The Met? Here are their hours:

The general public can visit The Met Fifth Avenue Thursday – Monday from 10:00 a.m.– 5:00.p.m and The Met Cloisters Thursday – Monday from 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Members (like me!) can sometimes visit earlier and stay later.

Imaginary Patrons are admitted from 35:02 a.m.–197:15 p.m. every third Whatsday.

Here are some of the Imaginary Patrons enjoying various galleries at The Met Fifth Avenue.

Feel free to print out these images and add those Imaginary Patrons who might be missing!

A photograph of the two-story patio of the Velez Blanco castle, which was originally in Spain but was relocated to The Met. The room, which is scattered with sculptures of people and natural creatures on plinths, is illustrated with simple quirky black cartoon characters scattered throughout the image looking at the art.

The Patio from the Castle of Vélez Blanco is very fancy. It is also very popular. Two thousand marble blocks were used to build this patio, which displays large statues from Italy created around the same time that the Spanish castle was built. It is decorated with carvings of masks, birds, sphinxes, dragons, and other creatures. Are any Imaginary Patrons missing? Please print this out and draw them. I think they would enjoy the statues.

A Moroccan-style courtyard bounded by pillars on two sides with ornate carvings above. In the center sits a low, white and grey fountain. Quirky, simple black cartoon creatures lounge around the space, with brightly colored eyes.

The Patti Cadby Birch Court is my favorite place at The Met Fifth Avenue.The courtyard was modeled after courtyards in medieval Spanish and North African buildings and was constructed by craftsmen who came to The Met from the city of Fez in Morocco. Sometimes I sit where the imaginary patrons are sitting and sketch people walking by. Did I forget to draw the imaginary patrons’ pets? Apologies. Please print this out and add them.

A tall-ceilinged gallery at The Met, with a two-story-high wall of windows on the right side. In the center of the image is a reconstructed Egyptian temple divided into two structures, highlighted by the natural light of the windows. In front of them is a single, small, quirky black cartoon creature with a glowing eye at its center.

The Temple of Dendur was built about 2,000 years ago to honor the Egyptian goddess Isis and the two sons of a local ruler. There are many carvings on the temple. Some of these carvings symbolize the natural world, like plants and the sky. This gallery is usually quite busy. Actually, it is currently filled with invisible Imaginary Patrons. Can you de-invisible-ize them? Please print this out and draw as many imaginary patrons as you can.

Thank you for your help.

Mo Willems

P.S. (Pigeon Sighting): The Pigeon is hidden in one of the galleries. Have you found him?

Mo Willems

Author, illustrator, animator, and playwright Mo Willems is best known for his #1 New York Times bestselling picture books, which have been awarded three Caldecott Honors, two Theodor Geisel Medals, and five Geisel Honors from the American Library Association. Translated into over 25 languages, his books have won many accolades in America and abroad, including having his first book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, inducted into the Picture Book Hall of Fame.