(New York, March 25, 2003)—In response to the record-breaking attendance at The Metropolitan Museum of Art's special exhibition Leonardo da Vinci, Master Draftsman, the Museum announced today that it will extend its visiting hours on the exhibition's final weekend until 10:00 p.m. on both Saturday, March 29, and Sunday, March 30.
Regular Museum hours are 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sundays.
"Sadly, we cannot extend the exhibition beyond March 30, although we would like nothing more than to do so," commented Philippe de Montebello, Director of the Museum. "But the fragile, light-sensitive nature of this material requires that it be returned to our many generous international lenders as scheduled. That is why we are particularly pleased to extend this extra benefit of extended final weekend hours to the many New Yorkers and out-of-town visitors who have expressed a wish to see the exhibition before it closes."
Leonardo da Vinci, Master Draftsman has already attracted more than 350,000 visitors since it opened on January 22, 2003, making it the most highly attended exhibition of drawings in the history of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
There is no special ticketing for exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum, and no reservations will be accepted for the extended hours. Visitors will be admitted on a first-come, first-served basis, with the front doors closing promptly at 10:00 p.m. Visitors who are on line or in the galleries by 10:00 p.m. will have the full opportunity to view the nearly 120 works in the exhibition.
The exhibition shop and the Audio Guide desk at the entrance to Leonardo da Vinci, Master Draftsman. will remain open during the final weekend of extended hours. Audio Guides for the exhibition may be rented for a $6.00 fee ($5.00 for Museum members, and $4.00 for children under 12). The Audio Guide is sponsored by Bloomberg.
The exhibition is made possible by Morgan Stanley.
Additional support has been provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
An indemnity has been granted by the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.
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