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A chalk-line illustration of an art detective points her magnifying glass at a microscope; hands reach towards the microscope while a crew of bugs and a fingerprint ghost look on

MetKids Microscope

See the science behind the art (and the art behind the science!) at The Met.

About

MetKids Microscope is a show about the science behind the art (and the art behind the science!) at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Learn true stories about real discoveries from scientists at the Museum, and do some experiments on your own!

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View previous seasons

Episodes

A young girl in glasses shivers in fear sitting next to a shrugging silverfish in glasses; she’s in a library seated in front of a book about pest management
Video
Are Bookworms Real?
Meet some of the critters that like to munch on art and books at the Museum and learn how experts keep The Met safe.
June 21, 2023
Drawn bugs peek out from behind a DIY notebook titled "field guide" with cut paper decorations of trees, stars, and rockets
Video
How to Make a Field Guide
Make a field guide and use it to classify bugs like a scientist at the museum.
June 21, 2023
Illustrated hands reach out to touch the Merode Altarpiece painting
Video
What Happens When We Touch Art?
Find out how touching artworks can be dangerous and meet the scientists that take care of the art—our conservators.
June 28, 2023
Illustration of a hand pointing to a mirror with a single fingerprint; little fingerprint ghosts float on either side of the mirror
Video
How to Dust For Fingerprints
Uncover hidden fingerprints around your home like an art detective.
June 28, 2023
Collage of a fish and conch shell emanating sound waves towards an ear
Video
What’s the Science behind Music?
Sound is invisible, yet it’s all around us! What’s going on here? What exactly is a sound, anyway?
July 5, 2023
Illustrated drum sticks play atop a DIY drum made of a tin can decorated with colorful cut paper shapes; wavy arrows like sound waves point to the drum
Video
What Does Sound Look Like?
Make an instrument and a special tool to visualize sound.
July 5, 2023
A cracked egg floats over a table top surface featuring a bowl and whole eggs as well as a bucket of paint brushes and bottles of blue, yellow, and red pigments.
Video
So That’s How You Make Paint?
What does a cake have in common with an Italian Renaissance painting? The answer may surprise you! Watch to learn about the special properties of egg yolk that make it just as perfect for painting as it is for baking.
October 20, 2023
A painting of a Madonna and egg and an illustrated egg artist holding a paint brush flank either side of an open sketch book with colorful test paint swatches labeled bright, grainy, and dull.
Video
How to Make Tempera Paint at Home
Did you know that you can make paint in your very own home? In this experiment, make a glorious painting using only ingredients from your kitchen cabinet and refrigerator.
October 20, 2023
Two circus monkeys appear on stage balancing atop balls, each adorned with a mauve-colored star.
Video
How Can Art Trick Our Minds?
Instead of mixing paint colors on a palette, what happens if we let our eyes do the mixing? Learn about Pointillism and how the artist Georges Seurat used the science of optics to create a whole new way of painting!
October 20, 2023
An illustrated brain character waves a magic wand over an open sketchbook page featuring an illustrated rainbow painted with many colorful dots.
Video
How to Make An Optical Illusion
Trick your friends with this optical illusion! Create an entire rainbow using only the primary colors — red, yellow, and blue dots.
October 20, 2023
A time machine dashboard features a map of the world, a carousel of artwork images, and a view of peoples discovering an ancient artifact contained inside a vessel.
Video
How Do Artworks Last for Thousands of Years?
Take a journey in The Met’s time machine and learn how some objects can last for hundreds of thousands of years!
October 20, 2023
Shiny and rusty green pennies dance on a spotlit dance floor surrounded by a border of pennies.
Video
Why Do Pennies Turn Green?
Have you ever noticed that some old pennies look almost…green? In this experiment, use vinegar and salt to get to the bottom of how and why pennies turn green.
October 20, 2023

About Season 2

What’s the science behind making paint, mixing colors, and hearing music? Learn with Met scientists as your guide, then experiment on your own.

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From The Vaults
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