The Metropolitan Museum of Art is much more than just an art museum. Its incomparable collection offers a journey through over 5,000 years of human history. At its founding in 1870 (with its opening in 1872), it did not feature a single work of art, but over the last 150 years, the collection has grown to encompass around three million objects, which are exhibited on rotation. The exhibits originate from all five continents, and there is scarcely an aspect of human cultural heritage left unrepresented across its over 200,000 square metres of exhibition space. Thus, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can encounter a complete Egyptian temple, Asian armour, African weapons, Roman statues, and masters of European painting such as Jan Vermeer or Vincent van Gogh. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection is spread over three locations: The headquarters in Central Park featuring the Universal Museum, "The Met Cloisters" with medieval and ecclesiastical art, and the "Met Breuer" with contemporary works. Annually, the three museums attract between six and seven million visitors.
The originals of the artworks shown here are on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.