'Costume Art': Met Museum Unveils 2026 Gala Exhibition Theme

The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the theme of its annual Costume Institute exhibition for spring 2026 on Monday.

The exhibition, called “Costume Art,” will focus on Western art from prehistory to the present and explore artistic representations of the clothed body, combining fashions and works of art from the New York-based museum's collection.

The theme will also “highlight the inherent relationship between clothing and the body,” according to a statement from the museum.

The exhibition, which will open its doors to the public on May 10, will be the first to take place in the museum's nearly 12,000-square-foot galleries adjacent to the Great Hall, marking “a new chapter for the museum,” he added.

As always, the celebrity-studded Met Gala will celebrate the opening of “Costume Art” on May 4, 2026, adopting the same theme and dress code.

The 2026 Met Gala will be the first to take place since Anna Wintour stepped down as editor-in-chief of American Vogue earlier this year. However, the fashion veteran remains the magazine's global editorial director and chief content officer for parent company Conde Nast, and will continue to oversee Met Gala proceedings.