Today is a special day in the history of art and the advancement of culture. It is the day when back in 1872 the much-loved Metropolitan Museum of Art opened its doors to the public for the first time. The museum's first exhibition space was the Dodworth Building at 681 Fifth Avenue between 53rd and 54th Streets. The building had formerly served as a private residence and a dance academy.
A reported six thousand visitors viewed the Metropolitan's opening exhibition. The museum President John Taylor Johnston wrote a vivid account of the opening reception: "We had a fine turnout of ladies and gentlemen and all were highly pleased. The pictures looked splendid, and compliments were so plenty and strong that I was afraid the mouths of the Trustees would become chronically and permanently fixed in a broad grin ... We may now consider the Museum fairly launched and under favorable auspices… We have something to point to as the Museum, something tangible and something good."
The museum moved to its current location on 5th Av. in 1880. Their space and collections have grown exponentially with now over two million works of art. It is the second most visited art museum in the world, and the fifth most visited museum of any kind.