Inside the Met

Watch as the Metropolitan Museum of Art prepares for its landmark 150th birthday, and how quickly the plans change when COVID-19 hits New York City. As the Met is forced to close its doors for the first time in history, a skeleton staff battles to protect 1.2 million precious objects while executives face losses approaching $150 million, revealing the new reality inside this storied institution.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forces the Metropolitan Museum of Art to place plans for their 150th year on hold, the killing of George Floyd in May 2020 leads to renewed calls for social justice across the country. The Met is forced to confront its historical record on inclusion, exclusion and diversity in art and staffing, as questions are raised about some of the Met's most treasured objects.

As fall 2020 begins, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has reopened, welcoming visitors back in a safe and limited way, but the museum has suffered major financial losses. Now, every department is calling in favors to patrons and supporters, from philanthropists who have contributed millions over generations, to art collectors now realizing it is time to make public their personal treasures.