The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) was founded in 1870 for the purposes of opening a museum to bring art and art education to the American people. The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the United States. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among seventeen curatorial departments. • Studio Workshops • Drop-in Drawing • Artist Demonstrations • Gallery Talks • Free Lectures • Children's Classes • Benefit Events • Short Courses