A History of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, with a Chapter on the Early Institutions of Art in New York

Book excerpt: Winifred E. Howe's 1913 account of The Metropolitan Museum of Art's history, its founders, and trustees communicates the remarkable circumstances that led to the Museum's transformation into one of the most prestigious art museums in the world. The history begins with an account of the earliest art institutions of New York City (such as the Tammany Society and the New York Academy of Fine Arts) and goes on to describe the Museum's period of organization following the end of the Civil War. Howe details the movement of the Museum from its original downtown building to its current location in Central Park, the museum building's construction and subsequent additions, the organization of the museum's administration, and the continued expansion of the museum through the presidency of J. Pierpont Morgan.