All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me

Patrick Bringley spent a decade working as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. After leaving his job at The New Yorker following his older brother's diagnosis with fatal cancer, he sought refuge in the museum, intending it as a temporary escape. What began as a temporary refuge became his home away from home for ten years. During his time there, Bringley guarded artworks spanning from Egypt to Rome, explored the galleries and spaces beneath them, and observed the museum's operations from an insider's perspective. He developed connections with his fellow guards—a diverse group including artists, musicians, immigrants, and others—and grew to appreciate both the artworks in the museum's care and the people who work there. This memoir documents Bringley's experience as a museum guard, the treasures he encountered, and the subculture of the people who maintain the institution. The book explores how his decade in the museum shaped his understanding of community and beauty, and his gradual return to the world beyond its walls.