What is the name of the Met's annual fundraising gala?

The Met’s annual fundraising gala is called the Met Gala.

Its formal name is the Costume Institute Benefit, because proceeds primarily support The Met’s Costume Institute. The event also celebrates the opening of the institute’s major spring exhibition, making it both a fundraiser and a highly visible fashion occasion.

The gala began in 1948 as a midnight supper organized by publicist Eleanor Lambert. Tickets originally cost $50. Over time, the event grew from a museum benefit into an international media spectacle, especially after Vogue editor Anna Wintour became its chair in 1995, excluding the 1996 and 1998 events.

The Met Gala is traditionally held on the first Monday in May. Its theme usually follows the spring exhibition, while guests are expected to interpret a stated dress code. It is sometimes nicknamed the “Oscars of the East Coast,” but it is not an awards ceremony; its central purpose remains raising money for fashion exhibitions, acquisitions, publications, and operations.