Met's "Costume Art" Exhibit to Inaugurate Permanent Fashion Galleries in 2026

In 2025, the Metropolitan Museum of Art is preparing for a significant milestone in the world of fashion and art. On November 17, 2025, Vogue announced the theme of the museum's spring 2026 exhibition: "Costume Art." This exhibition will mark the inauguration of the Costume Institute's first permanent galleries, a nearly 12,000-square-foot space adjacent to the museum's Great Hall.

Curator in charge Andrew Bolton described this as a "huge moment" for the Costume Institute, as it will be "transformative to fashion more generally." The exhibition will explore the centrality of the dressed body in the museum's vast collection, pairing paintings, sculptures, and other artworks with historical and contemporary garments from the Costume Institute.

Bolton explained that the dressed body is a common thread throughout the museum, connecting every curatorial department and gallery. The "Costume Art" exhibit will showcase three thematic body types: those commonly represented in art, those often overlooked, and universal bodies. The goal is to "put the body back into discussions about art and fashion" and to "disband that hierarchy and to focus on equivalency."

The exhibition will run from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027, following the Met Gala on May 4, 2026. The Costume Exhibit and the Met Gala will work in tandem, with the fashion event carrying the same "Costume Art" theme.