Met Gala set for first Monday

The Metropolitan Museum of Art says the 2026 Met Gala will take place on Monday, May 4, with Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour serving as co-chairs. (metmuseum.org) The gala’s dress code is “Fashion is Art,” and it is tied to the Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition, “Costume Art.” (metmuseum.org) The exhibition opens to the public on May 10 and runs through January 10, 2027, at The Met Fifth Avenue. It will inaugurate the museum’s nearly 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries. (metmuseum.org 1) (metmuseum.org 2) The museum says “Costume Art” will bring together nearly 400 objects from its collection. NBC New York reported that plan as roughly 200 garments paired with 200 art objects. (metmuseum.org) (nbcnewyork.com) The show focuses on the “dressed body,” pairing fashion with paintings, sculpture and other works to trace how clothing has been represented across centuries. The Met says the exhibition draws mainly on Western art from prehistory to the present. (metmuseum.org) The host committee is chaired by Anthony Vaccarello and Zoë Kravitz, and includes Sabrina Carpenter, Doja Cat, Gwendoline Christie, Misty Copeland, LISA, Sam Smith, Teyana Taylor and A’ja Wilson, among others. (metmuseum.org) Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos are listed by The Met as lead sponsors and honorary chairs for the evening. The museum has not disclosed the amount of their support. (metmuseum.org) (nbcnewyork.com) The Met Gala is not just a red carpet. The museum says it is the Costume Institute’s primary annual source of funding for exhibitions, publications, acquisitions and operations. (metmuseum.org 1) (metmuseum.org 2) NBC New York reported that last year’s gala raised a record more than $31 million for the institute. That helps explain why the event’s guest list, sponsors and theme draw attention well before the carpet opens. (nbcnewyork.com) For viewers at home, arrivals are scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern on May 4. Vogue will stream the arrivals on its site, YouTube and TikTok starting at 6 p.m., while E! plans live coverage from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. (nbcnewyork.com) The first Monday in May is set. The bigger reveal now is how guests turn “Fashion is Art” into clothes that can hold their own on the museum steps. (metmuseum.org) (nbcnewyork.com)