Met Museum Sends Art Boxes to Isolated Seniors in NYC

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has partnered with Citymeals on Wheels to launch Your Met Art Box, a monthly subscription service delivering art-themed boxes to over 1,000 homebound seniors in New York City. Each box contains four postcards of artworks from the Met's collection, sensory materials, informational brochures, free admission tickets, and activities designed to stimulate reflection and dialogue about art. Citymeals volunteers, trained by the Met's Education Department, facilitate conversations about the artworks. The July box is themed "Summer in New York City" and includes materials to make a paper fan. Heidi Holder of the Met's Education Department stated, "Art has the power to heal communities," while Vivienne O'Neill of Citymeals noted that many recipients have fond memories of visiting the Met but can no longer do so. The initiative aims to combat isolation among seniors, who were disproportionately affected by the pandemic and lockdowns.