History and architecture
The Met opened at its present site in 1880, in a Gothic building designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould. Later additions surrounded that first structure. The familiar Fifth Avenue facade and Great Hall, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, opened in December 1902.
The broad museum front can therefore be misleading: this is a building assembled over many generations. Start with the three large arches and paired columns of Hunt's central entrance, then follow the wings along the avenue. Inside, a portion of the original building's west facade remains visible in the Robert Lehman Wing.
What to look for
- The three great arches at the Fifth Avenue entrance.
- Paired columns emphasizing the center of the museum front.
- The older Gothic facade preserved inside the Robert Lehman Wing, when visiting the galleries.
Sources and further reading
Reviewed September 5, 2026.