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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