Brooklyn Museum

The Brooklyn Museum was established in 1823, making it one of the United States' oldest and physically largest art museums. The Museum was initially entitled the Brooklyn Apprentices' Library and attracted larger-than-life American figures like Walt Whitman, who was once the Museum's acting librarian. After a series of restructurings, the Library evolved into the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, the precursor to the Brooklyn Museum. In this early stage of development, the Brooklyn Museum was imagined to become the focal point of a planned cultural, recreational, and educational district for the City of Brooklyn – a vision that holds true today. The Museum's expansive collection reflects the artistic and cultural heritage of civilizations across the globe over time, with an emphasis on Egyptian and African works. Offerings such as free-admission days and educational programming embody the institution's commitment to making these works of art accessible, understandable, and revered by the public. The Museum envisions that exposure to these great works of art, and the rich conversations surrounding them, serve as catalysts for a more connected, civic, and empathetic world.