Fizgig

✎ One of the numerous additions to the original building, the magnificent façade facing 5th Avenue was built in 1895, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, one of the founders of the American Institute of Architects. Hunt’s design included four columns supporting allegorical statues of architecture, sculpture, music and painting, but they were never finished because the funds didn’t allow for it. The building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It is not, however, the oldest part of the museum, which dates back to 1871, through various acquisitions and expansions with a whole host of architects and builders associated with its various constructions. The Met measures almost ¼-mile in length with ~2 million square feet of floor space.

☚ Higher resolution, larger version.