Image: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced 'Creative Convening— Musical Bodies', a daylong public program presented in conjunction with its exhibition 'Musical Bodies'. The event is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 11 am to 4:30 pm in Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium at The Met Fifth Avenue in New York.
According to the museum, the convening will bring together multidisciplinary artists, musicians, and experts who contributed to the exhibition. The program is framed around a central idea of 'Musical Bodies': that the human body itself can function as a musical instrument, through actions such as clapping hands, tapping feet, beatboxing, and whistling. The exhibition also looks at how musical instruments draw form and decoration from the body, and how those objects can become vehicles for voice, action, and identity.
The event is set to expand those themes through presentations, conversations, and performances. The museum says attendees can expect a deep dive into the exhibition’s ideas, though it has also noted that the full schedule has not yet been released. The announcement directs visitors to check back soon for the complete lineup.
The program is listed as free with museum admission, but advance registration is required. The Met also says space is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. Assistive listening devices will be provided by ushers, and visitors seeking other access accommodations are directed to the museum’s accessibility contacts.
While the announcement focuses on the single-day convening, it also places the program within the larger context of the museum’s exhibition activity. The image used for the event depicts 'Le Royaume de Harmonie' ('The Kingdom of Harmony') from the theater production of 'La Poule aux Oeufs d'Or' ('The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs') in the Galerie Dramatique, dated 1848 and noted as being from a private collection in New York.
The museum’s notice says 'Musical Bodies' is supported by Barbara Tober, the Diane W. and James E. Burke Fund, the William Randolph Hearst Foundation, and the Gail and Parker Gilbert Fund. Additional support is listed from Anonymous, The Dancing Tides Foundation, the Vanguard Council, and The Augustine Foundation in memory of Rose Augustine.
