The Met Gala moved from December to its traditional first Monday in May in 2005.
The event had historically been held at different points in the year, but the change helped establish the spring schedule now associated with the gala. The first Monday in May became a recognizable annual date for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Benefit.
The 2005 gala accompanied “The House of Chanel,” an exhibition devoted to the French fashion house. The event’s schedule can be confused with its usual red-carpet timing: the first Monday in May is traditional, but the gala has occasionally shifted dates, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 event, for example, was held in September.