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Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art (May, 2004)
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art (May, 2004)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as "the Met," is one of the world's largest and most important art museums, located on the eastern edge of Central Park in Manhattan, New York. It also comprises a building complex known as "The Cloisters" in Fort Tryon Park at the north end of Manhattan Island overlooking the Hudson River which features medieval art.

Its massive collection ranges from treasures of Classical Antiquity to nearly all the European masters, as well as an extensive collection of American art. It also possesses extensive holdings in Egyptian—including the Temple of Dendur , African, Asian, Oceanic, Middle Eastern and Islamic art. The museum also contains recreations of notable interiors by famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, and, somewhat incongruously, a collection of antique weapons and armor.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and Whitney Museum of American Art are near the museum's main building. The museum is often considered a rival to the Museum of Modern Art.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened on February 20, 1872. Its director from from 1955 to his death on May 11, 1966, was James J. Rorimer . He was succeeded by Thomas Hoving, who served from March 17, 1967 to June 30, 1977. The current director is Phillipe de Montebello .

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Last updated: 10-24-2004 05:10:45