Bonus: There is a Museum Guard Art Magazine

Patrick Bringley sketches a scene from the Met in a notepad

Many members of the Met’s security corps, which consist of over 500 guards, are also working artists. You can see the work of some guards featured in Sw!pe magazine, a magazine of artwork, literature, poetry and criticism by guards at a variety of New york City’s cultural institutions. The magazine was initially conceived as a forum to feature artistic works of guards just at the Met, but now the magazine hopes to expand all across the globe.

Museum guards have access to artwork that many artist can only dream of. Spending hours and hours in the museum, guards develop intimate relationships with the works they protect. You can order a copy of Sw!pe Magazine here, and check out the work they create.

Secrets of the Met Tour

Main entrance to the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Next, check out 10 Sexy Secrets of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

This article was originally written by Michelle Young and updated in October 2022 by Nicole Saraniero.