2026 Met Gala Set for May 4 with Costume Art Theme

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City will host the 2026 Met Gala on Monday, May 4, drawing hundreds of celebrities, designers, and influencers for a high-profile fundraiser that opens the Costume Institute's annual exhibition.

The event, formally known as the Costume Institute Benefit, supports the museum's fashion department through operations, exhibitions, publications, and acquisitions. Last year's gala raised a record $31 million. This edition marks the first use of the museum's new 12,000-square-foot Condé Nast Galleries, previously the gift shop space.

The theme, "Costume Art," explores the relationship between fashion and the human body across history, drawing from the Met's collections. The accompanying exhibition, on view from May 10 to January 10, 2027, features nearly 400 garments and artworks spanning 5,000 years. Items are organized by thematic body types, including the Naked Body, Classical Body, Pregnant Body, and Aging Body. The dress code, "Fashion Is Art," encourages attendees to interpret fashion as an embodied art form, blending sculptural designs with artistic expression.

Co-chairs include Beyoncé, returning after a decade, Nicole Kidman, Venus...