The Metropolitan Museum
of Art was founded on
April 13, 1870, "to be
located in the City of
New York, for the
purpose of establishing
and maintaining in said
city a Museum and
library of art, of
encouraging and
developing the study of
the fine arts, and the
application of arts to
manufacture and
practical life, of
advancing the general
knowledge of kindred
subjects, and, to that
end, of furnishing
popular instruction."1
This statement of
purpose has guided the
Museum
for more than a century.
The Trustees of The
Metropolitan Museum of
Art have reaffirmed the
statement of purpose and
supplemented it
with the following
statement of mission:
The mission of The
Metropolitan Museum of
Art is to collect,
preserve, study,
exhibit, and stimulate
appreciation for and
advance knowledge of
works of art that
collectively represent
the broadest spectrum of
human achievement at the
highest level of
quality, all in the
service of the public
and in accordance with
the highest professional
standards.