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Metropolitan Museum of Art

New York, Manhattan, New York Listed Ref. 86003556 National Historic Landmark Building
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, New York
Photo: Hugo Schneider, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Why it's listed

Fronting Central Park on Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a sprawling complex of fifteen units built over more than a century. The first section, designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould in Victorian Gothic style, was begun in 1874 and finished in 1880. Later wings by Theodore Weston and Arthur Tuckerman followed. In the 1890s Richard Morris Hunt was hired to plan a new Roman-style front, and his Fifth Avenue facade and Great Hall opened in 1902, with interiors completed by his son Richard Howland Hunt after Hunt's death in 1895. McKim, Mead, and White then added north and south wings between 1904 and 1926, and the American Wing incorporated the facade of the old Assay Office from Wall Street. Kevin Roche and John Dinkeloo designed the latest additions. The building is recognized for its architecture, its collections and its influence on American museum design.

Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the museum is one of New York's most monumental public buildings and among the most prestigious museums in the world. Its Fifth Avenue facade and Great Hall, by Richard Morris Hunt, are described as an outstanding example of the American Renaissance and Beaux Arts Classicism, and became a prototype for museums across the country. The form also stresses the building's long, multi-architect expansion.

Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86003556, listed June 24, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).

Key facts

AddressFifth Ave. at Eighty-second St., New York
CountyManhattan
ListedJune 24, 1986
Reference number86003556
Resource typeBuilding
Architect / builderVaux & Mould, Richard M. Hunt, McKim, Mead, and White; Roche & Dinkeloo
Architectural styleVictorian Gothic original building, with Roman/Neoclassic and Beaux Arts Classicism in later wings
Areas of significanceArt, Architecture
Level of significanceNational
National Historic LandmarkYes, designated June 24, 1986
Status (as stated in the nomination)Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, altered, and on its original site; in use as a museum and owned by the City of New York.
Acreage43
Within districtCentral Park
Coordinates40.77943, -73.96338 (NPS GIS)

What listing means for this property

National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.

Sources and further reading

Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.