In his recently released memoir, All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me author Patrick Bringley shares secrets of the Met Museum from a unique point of view, that of a museum guard. Bringley spent 10 years walking the galleries of the museum, protecting its treasures, and soaking up stories of the artifacts on display, the people who visit them, and the people who make the museum run behind the scenes. To celebrate the launch of his new book, Bringley sat down for a talk with Untapped New York Insiders. Today, we’re sharing that talk with you!

If you loved Bringley’s talk, you can join him for an in-person walking tour of the Secrets of the Metropolitan Museum of Art! There are still a few tickets left for the tour happening this Friday, February 24th at 3pm ET. On the tour, you’ll locate hidden traces of the Met’s 150-year history, peer into the eyes of a once-stolen Greek statue, find the tooth of Mary Magdalen in a Renaissance reliquary, see the very first item acquired by the museum and so much more! Your tour includes admission to the museum.

Secrets of the Met Museum Tour

Tour guide Patrick Bringley points to architectural features of the Met in front of a group of tourgoers.

The recorded virtual talk in this article is just one of over 150+ on-demand videos available in our Untapped New York Insiders archive. The archive is free to Untapped New York Insiders at all subscription tiers and available whenever you want to watch. In the archive, you’ll find talks with authors, architects, historians, artists, and more on topics that range from New York City jazz clubs of the fifties and Brooklyn film locations to abandoned location photography and art in the subway. There are also live-streamed on-location tours filmed and led by Untapped New York’s Chief Experience Office Justin Rivers. Become an Insider today and get your first month free with code JOINUS.

Next, check out 10 Major Art Heists at the Met Museum