Museums at Night: A Dream that Should be Real

(Written 12/14/2017 for 800 Words with Kevin Coyne)

It’s dark and the museum is empty.

Moonlight streams through the American wing’s glass atrium. Greek gods cast ethereal shadows upon the marble floors. Darkened paintings take on a ghostly sheen. Past the Temple of Dendur and through the wall of windows behind it, Central Park looks like an enchanted forest.

Somehow, you’ve managed to stay past hours in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Surely this dream has come to you, especially if you’ve read E.L. Konigsburg’s classic children’s book “From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,” in which the protagonists stealthily stay past closing time to spend nights in the abandoned Met.

That ageless work of fiction is celebrating its 50^th anniversary. And yet, for 50 years it has remained just that – fiction. New York’s museums stay resolutely shut past sunset, which begs the question: why?

New York never sleeps. It’s practically our motto. The city’s frenetic life extends long into the night, with 24-hour subway service, delis, spas, cafés, restaurants, hardware stores -  you name it. But like any rule, it’s most notable for its exceptions. The city may be restless, but not so with New York’s finest museums.

Let’s do a quick survey. When do the Met and the MoMA shut their doors? 5:30, except for Fridays and Saturdays, when they close at 9. The Museum of Natural History? Its doors are fastened without exception at 5:45. It seems art, science and history must all be appreciated before dusk.

It’s strange. New York’s late night boasts endless entertainment options – cinemas, bars, clubs, theaters. Even parks, once nocturnal hotbeds of crime, are now open until 1 a.m. And yet the city’s nightlife will admit no museum-going.

You won’t see the venerable Dutch masters at the Frick Collection any later than 6, and while the Guggenheim dares stay up until 7:45 on Saturdays, its caretakers ensure that it’s asleep by quarter to 6 sharp all other days. Even the night owl of the bunch, the Whitney, which closes at 10 on Fridays and Saturdays, follows a tame 6 o’clock closing on weekdays.

This should change. New Yorkers are notorious for being out of touch with their own city’s culture. Leave it to the tourists to visit landmarks, see musicals and frequent museums, we say. This attitude hurts our city’s character.

But how are working residents supposed to visit a museum that closes at 6? It’s little surprise that residents make up only 26 percent of the traffic at even a central New York institution like the Met.

No, let’s keep the enjoyment of art inconvenient. Even though museums will gladly pay millions to purchase, ship in and curate the world’s most priceless works of art, it’s simply too expensive to stay open just a few extra hours.

To that, one should answer: So what? Even if the extra upkeep seems too much to bear, one cannot deny that it will pay for itself. The demand is unquestionably there, for who hasn’t dreamed of a nocturnal museum visit? Like a forbidden fruit, the mystique of New York’s museums at night has fully captivated the popular imagination. “Night at the Museum,” the Hollywood hit trilogy that grossed a billion dollars worldwide was set in our very own Museum of Natural History.

The UK is ahead of the curve here. Twice a year, the nonprofit Culture24 organizes a four-day festival, “Museums at Night,” during which the UK’s museums and galleries stay open past hours to all.

Some of New York’s museums are beginning to catch on too. The Guggenheim offers “Art After Dark,” staying open to the general public until midnight on select Friday nights. Many museums now offer members-only after-hours tours. But why not open these nocturnal visits to everyone?

Perhaps, one might counter, there’s something sacred about a museum. Art is serious business, not an object of casual evening entertainment, and as such must follow the same 9-to-5 schedule as your job.

But that would be silly. Art is as timeless as it is priceless. Each new way of experiencing it opens new avenues of appreciation and interpretation. Wouldn’t Michelangelo’s sculptures become all the more resplendent in the evening light? Wouldn’t van Gogh’s “Starry Night” transport its viewers more effectively after dark? Wouldn’t the Impressionists’ masterpieces seem all the more like a charmed reverie?

Think of the charm that nightfall casts upon a museum. Think of seeing the great works come to life in new and fascinating ways. Think of staying past hours in the Met like Konigsburg’s protagonists, Claudia and Jamie Kincaid. Such an experience would be much like the art these hallowed establishments contain: priceless. Yet sadly, Konigsburg’s magic must remain fiction, as the city’s museums continue to slumber dreamlessly.