The Metropolitan Museum of Art is thrilled that the United States will be rejoining UNESCO, an action that underscores the nation’s commitment to cultural preservation and international collaboration. As a steward of cultural heritage, The Met recognizes the profound importance of bringing together curators, conservators, and other scholars around the globe to preserve, protect, and promote our collective intellectual and artistic traditions.
A key leader in this crucial work, UNESCO has earned the respect of nations and communities worldwide—and has served as a vital partner to The Met itself, facilitating the protection of what has become one of the Museum's most iconic and best-loved works of art, the Temple of Dendur. Built of sandstone in about 15 BC, the temple was rescued during the 1960–80 UNESCO Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia and gifted to the United States from Egypt. The temple was awarded to The Met by President Lyndon B. Johnson in April 1967.
The Met looks forward to continuing its decades-long relationship with UNESCO to honor the richness and diversity of our shared cultural legacy.
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July 10, 2023
Contact: Jennifer Isakowitz, Ann Bailis
Communications@metmuseum.org
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