What Happens Inside The Met Gala?
On Met Gala Monday, we watch the red carpet from every angle to see the best-dressed celebrities make their way up those carpeted steps. But when it comes to what happens next, that mystery is reserved for those who make it on the guest list… kind of.
While the inside of the Met Gala doesn’t make it to a livestream or social media, we do have a good idea of what happens inside the Met Gala. So, if you’re keeping up with the 2026 Met Gala at home, this might help your FOMO once the carpet ends.
What Happens Inside The Met Gala?
Inside the Met Gala, as Vogue puts it, is “mostly under wraps; guests must abide by a no-phone (and, therefore, no social media) policy once they’ve entered the museum.” But here’s the run of show.
A Cocktail Hour
After posing for photos on the steps, guests make their way into the Costume Institute’s newest exhibit for a cocktail reception, where they drink and mingle. This year, the exhibit is titled “Costume Art.”
A Dinner
After a cocktail hour, celebrities sit down for a formal dinner in the Met. Seats are assigned and planning the seating chart is an intricate process. Party planner Eaddy Kiernan told Vogue all about planning the seating arrangements on May 2, “We really try to think very carefully about who’s sitting next to each other. Our ideal pairing would maybe be two people who we think will just get on like a house on fire but who may not even realize that they have a lot in common. So with each person, we really do take time to think, What will they talk about? We try and think a lot about sight lines and where people have sat in the past. And we try to make sure someone isn’t staring into the eyes of a former flame.”
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The dinner menu is typically inspired by the Met Gala theme. For example, in 2023, the theme was Karl Lagerfeld with A Line of Beauty, and the menu included some of the late Chanel designer’s favorite dishes, including chilled spring pea soup with truffle snow and King salmon with vegetable broth.
A Performance
Every year, guests are treated to a surprise performance that is never revealed in advance. However, given that she’s one of this year’s co-chairs, many are suspecting that Beyoncé could be the 2026 Met Gala performer.
After drinks and dancing, celebrities exit the Met Gala and make their way to one of the many afterparties across the city.
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