After a historic closure and months of empty galleries, The Metropolitan Musuem of Art reopened its doors to the public Saturday.

What You Need To Know

  • The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened its doors to the public Saturday

  • The museum will only be operating at 25% capacity, taking temperature checks at the door and requiring all visitors wear masks
  • The Met closed back on March 13th. In the last century, the museum had never been closed for more than three days at a time.

“I have been yearning for art again. It is a part of my life, it is so rejuvenating that I wanted to be the first as soon as it was available," said one visitor who waited in line for hours before doors opened.

While many of the art exhibits remain the same, the experience at the Met is different.

New safety protocols call for just 25% capacity, temperature checks at the door and all visitors must wear a mask at all times.

Entry to the Museum is timed by ticket or reservation only and there are no volunteers at the info desk handing out maps to navigate the museum.

There are no group tours and fewer benches throughout the museum to prevent people from congregating.

“I am glad they are doing it safely. I am glad they are taking reservations and I am glad to be back to doing something I enjoy," added another visitor.

The museum abruptly shut their doors in the middle of the day back on March 13th.

In the last century, the museum had never been closed for more than three days at a time.

Three new exhibitions will be unveiled for the reopening, one honoring the institution's 150th-anniversary.

“The museum as well as the art felt muted. It felt it had no one to speak to. That is what is happening right now and people have been longing for it," said Max Hollein, Director of the museum.

Life inside the museum, means more life outside.

Good news for Dan Rossi, also know as the “hot dog king” who relies on the foot traffic outside the Met for business.

Rossi's hot dog stand has been set up in front of the iconic Met steps since 2007.

“We came out of the winter, went into 5 months without working. Now we are going to go to work off season. It is just going to be a matter of survival between now and spring time," explained Rossi.

Rossi’s $3 hot dogs and $1 water bottles are bargain on 5th Avenue.

He says he knows business will be tough, but he is excited to be back.

“It’ll be nice to put in a good days work make people happy," said Rossie.

For more information about tickets and reservations visit engage.metmuseum.org/admissions/tickets