Met Museum opens new Costume Institute galleries with 'Costume Art' exhibition

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened the Costume Institute's new Condé M. Nast Galleries, debuting Costume Art in a major new space near the Great Hall.

The new galleries are about 12,000 square feet and are intended to host the Costume Institute's annual spring exhibition, along with occasional other shows. The Met says the space was designed by Peterson Rich Office.

Costume Art is the inaugural exhibition. The show pairs garments with works from The Met's collection and presents fashion alongside art from the museum's broader holdings.

The Met first announced the project in February, but opening-day coverage on May 4 confirms the galleries are now being unveiled publicly. The museum says public viewing for Costume Art begins May 10, 2026.

The opening gives the Costume Institute a more prominent and permanent exhibition home and reinforces the museum's push to position fashion within the same curatorial conversation as other forms of art.