12 Fascinating Facts About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

(via Mental Floss) With 17 curatorial departments, 2.2 million square feet of space, and more than 2 million works in its permanent collections, the Metropolitan Museum of Art—colloquially known as The Met—contains more treasures than most visitors will ever be able to see in a lifetime. It’s impossible to summarize the New York City museum’s history, contents, and legacy in just one list, but here are 12 facts that might make you view the storied institution in a new light.