Who served as the Met's first director from 1879 to 1904?

The Met’s first director, serving from 1879 to 1904, was Luigi Palma di Cesnola.

Born in Piedmont, Italy, Cesnola became a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War and later served as the United States consul in Cyprus. While in Cyprus, he assembled a large collection of antiquities, especially objects from archaeological sites such as Kourion. The newly expanding Metropolitan Museum purchased much of that collection, helping establish its early archaeological holdings.

Cesnola was appointed the Museum’s first director in 1879. He led the institution during a formative period that included its move into the Central Park building and the development of more systematic collecting and exhibition practices. His tenure lasted until his death in New York on November 20, 1904.

He is sometimes remembered mainly for the Cesnola Collection of Cypriot art, but his directorship is a separate reason for his importance. J. Pierpont Morgan was a major trustee and later president, while Henry Marquand and John Taylor Johnston were influential Met figures; none of them was the first director. Cesnola’s archaeological career has also attracted modern criticism over excavation and provenance practices.