How long ago was that? A long, long time ago. I was just a townie hanging around the University of Pennsylvania, sponging off the occasional graduate seminar in Paleography. One day, having decided I was going to be an artist, I decided to check out the Northwest Indigenous masks at the University Museum. I went to the admissions desk, asked about the masks, and I was told they were off-limits. I was turning away when a curator (or assistant curator, whatever) buttonholed me, led me into some back area whose walls were covered with masks, told me to take my time and close the door behind me when I left.
So I sat on the floor for a while, trying to imbue my spirit with the spirits, to the point where I realized I didn't know Sasquatch about these masks and I'd better come back when I did. That’s when a guard turned up, asked me what the hell I was doing there, and had me leave. And this is where I got my passion for bending rules when it comes to museums.
So here’s a suggestion: you might decide, being an inquisitive mind, to visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Or you might decide, being a serious scholar and all that, to visit the Thomas J. Watson Library at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—an excellent notion to begin with. To do so you must request a pass at the Information desk in the Main Hall or the Admissions desk downstairs. After which you can enter the Museum freely. The Library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10:00 to 5:00 and Saturdays to 4:00, which kinda limits you if you were hoping to visit the Met on a Sunday but if you're looking forward to visiting the Met on a Sunday your mind is not inquisitive, it's warped.
Should you decide to use the Library on a regular basis you should apply for a card, which will give you free admission to the Museum on a regular basis. Of course, if on your way to the Library you should decide to refresh your heart and brain with a detour through the galleries… But it would be wrong. (Who said that? I forget.)
September 29, 2023