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Materials

Learn how our conservation and scientific research departments innovate to study the materials in the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Detail of a guitar backside. The shiny mahogany wood has varying shades of brown, creating an almost marbled effect.

Immaterial: Wood

The most musical tree in the world.
August 27
Close up of ocean debris, including shells and rocks, against glittering black sand.

Immaterial: Trash

The archaeology of rubbish.
August 13
Detail of lacquered tray with scenes from Virgil’s Aeneid. The section depicts figures fighting on horseback, ships at sea, and ornate floral motifs.

Immaterial: Chia

Beyond superfoods and infomercials.
July 30
Detail of a vibrant quilt made up of squares with narrow, rectangular strips of alternating colors.

Immaterial: Blankets
and Quilts

Threads of identity.
July 16
South-facing view of The Met exterior steps from the 5th Ave plaza. Sunlight hits the building facade, and the steps bustle with seated and standing visitors.

Immaterial: Space, Part 2

Behind the scenes at The Met.
July 2
Sky with puffy blue and white clouds. A light blue sky peeks through the top right corner of the image.

Immaterial: Space, Part 1

Giving form to a feeling.
June 18
Detail of Adam's face.

Immaterial: Stone

Making and breaking legacies.
June 4
White "Immaterial" logo text superimposed on a close-up of colorful feathers.

Introducing: Immaterial Season 2

Revealing the stories behind the building blocks of creativity.
May 24
layers of pick shaped colors on top of each other almost looking like a flower with orange creeping out from the top left corner.

Color and Form

Learn about the multifaceted ways postwar artists engaged with color through a selection of vibrant prints.
Jennifer Farrell Nov 17, 2023

So THAT'S How You Make Paint? Egg Tempera

What does a cake have in common with an Italian Renaissance painting? The answer may surprise you! Watch to learn about the special properties of egg yolk that make it just as perfect for painting as it is for baking.

Oct 20, 2023
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