; Whereas the Met has built reciprocal memberships with 16 museums across the country to ensure that Americans from every part of the country can enjoy access to the treasures of the museum; Whereas conservation, preservation, and research has always been central to the Met’s mission, and the museum now houses centers dedicated to the conservation of objects, paintings, paper, photographs, textiles, clothing, and other media in the museum’s collection, ensuring these treasures remain accessible to generations of visitors; Whereas the Met remains dedicated to providing educational resources for millions of Americans through tours, interactive experiences, and educator training; Whereas in 2017, over 230,000 people participated in school-group tours of the museum, including guided tours with museum experts, self-guided tours tailored to teachers’ needs, and opportunities for students to participate in hands-on art projects through the museum’s K–12 Studio Art Workshop; Whereas in 2017, over 2,000 educators participated in the Met’s K–12 Educators programs—including teacher workshops, Summer Educator Institutes, and the Met Professional Learning Community—to support teachers integrating the arts into the classroom; Whereas the Met makes available art-based lesson plans and curriculum resources available for free on the museum’s website to bring the treasures and learning opportunities of the Met to millions of children around the country; Whereas the Met has made it a priority to bring art to Americans of all ages and developed the MetFamilies and MetTeens programs and events specifically to inspire the next generation of great American artists; and Whereas the Met has been an American cultural institution for nearly 150 years; inspired new artists, historians, and collectors; exposed millions of Americans to the history, culture, and art of the world; and remains vital to the cultural health of the nation: Now, therefore, be it