The Met went from being open Tues eve's to being open Fri and Sat
     eve's about 5 years ago. The effect was tremendous. I wondered
     why noone seemed to have thought of this before. The Tues
     evenings felt kind of like private showings. I always cherished
     them, and some of my great moments at the Met happened on
     Tues. eve's. Fri and Sat are like nights out, celebratory,
     communal, and generally democratizing. Tho I miss the Tues eve
     solitude, I have to admit that the Fri and Sat vibe contributes
     much more to the overall feeling of the Museum, and makes it seem
     like a central part of NYC life for visitors and locals alike.

     Eric Siegel
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