Fashion’s biggest night is back, and all eyes are once again on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Met Gala returns on May 4, 2026, bringing together A-list celebrities, top designers, and cultural icons for an evening where style meets spectacle.
Known for its jaw-dropping red-carpet moments and headline-making looks, the annual Costume Institute fundraiser is one of the most talked-about events in entertainment and fashion. With a bold new theme, a star-powered lineup of co-chairs, and millions tuning in worldwide, the 2026 Met Gala is shaping up to be another unforgettable night in the spotlight. Check out the Met Gala 2026 schedule and theme below.
What Is the Met Gala 2026 Schedule?
The Met Gala 2026, which is fashion’s biggest night, will take place on May 4 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
According to the museum, red carpet arrivals are expected to start around 5:30 p.m. ET. Official red carpet coverage, which includes the Vogue livestream, will kick off around 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT.
Following the extravaganza on the red carpet, guests will then proceed inside for dinner. They will also get a private preview of the new exhibition.
The 2026 Met Gala live stream will be available via Vogue’s various digital platforms, which include YouTube and TikTok.
As mentioned above, the livestream will start around 6:00 p.m. ET / 3:00 p.m. PT. We will see Ashley Graham, La La Anthony, and Cara Delevingne serve as hosts. Emma Chamberlain will be back to serve as Red Carpet Correspondent.
2026 Met Gala Theme & Co-Chairs
As Vogue previously announced, the theme of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring 2026 exhibition is “Costume Art.” This will mark the inauguration of the Institute’s first permanent galleries at the museum.
Based on that theme, the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala is “Fashion Is Art.”
This theme explores the relationship between fashion and the human body. The exhibition will dive into representations of the body in art, aging and maternity in fashion, and broaden concepts of anatomy and identity.
For the Met Gala 2026, we have co-chairs Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Anna Wintour. That means the 2026 event will mark the return of Beyoncé to the Met Gala.
She hasn’t made an appearance since 2016 when she attended the Manus x Machina gala in Givenchy Haute Couture. Beyoncé first attended in 2008 and has since attended six more times.
For the “Costume Art” exhibit, it will run from May 10, 2026, to January 10, 2027. The Costume Exhibit and the Met Gala will work in tandem since fashion’s biggest night will be carrying the same theme.
How the Met Gala Got Started?
The Met Gala is held annually on the first Monday in May. It was introduced by former Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland after she joined the committee.
In 1973, Vreeland introduced the concept of themes for each gala. They started that year with a celebration of Cristóbal Balenciaga’s fashion, just one year after his death.
Before the Met Gala as we know it debuted, the Met Museum did host annual events celebrating its Costume Institute during the 1950s and 1960s.
