Here's when the 2026 Met Gala red carpet arrivals start and end
The 2026 Met Gala is Monday night in New York City. The annual benefit raises money for the museum's Costume Institute, with dozens of stars attending every year.
The event is celebrating the new spring exhibition "Costume Art," which goes hand-in-hand with the dress code of "Fashion is Art."
Organizers say the show will highlight the connection between clothing and the body and the "complex interplay between artistic representations of the body and fashion as an embodied artform."
Here's what to know about the time red carpet arrivals begin and how long they will last.
What time does the Met Gala red carpet start?
The event is held each year on the first Monday in May at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the city.
Red carpet arrivals officially start at 5:30 p.m., but many stars, like Rihanna, are known to show up late.
Members of the press check in hours early to line up along The Met's iconic steps and watch the stars arrive.
Fans and paparazzi also line up at The Mark Hotel for the first glimpse of what the stars are wearing. The hotel is located a few blocks from the museum, and guests often get ready there before heading over.
How long does the Met Gala red carpet last?
There is no official end time as stars trickle in over several hours.
Last year, Rihanna showed up at around 10 p.m., right after rapper and Bronx-native Cardi B and actress Halle Berry.
Singer-songwriter and actress Teyana Taylor was the first to arrive last year. She showed up a little after 5 p.m.
How to watch the Met Gala red carpet arrivals
CBS News New York will be streaming special coverage of the Met Gala red carpet at 9 p.m.
There will also be live updates online as the stars make their appearances.
Click here to watch a recap of the 2025 Met Gala red carpet.
What happens at the Met Gala after the red carpet?
After walking the red carpet, guests enter the museum, check in (and get stickers placed over their phone cameras!), and walk past an enormous flower arrangement in the museum's lobby. There is often an orchestra playing.
After hitting the receiving line, everyone heads either to cocktails or to the exhibit. Then to dinner. By the main course, most tardy guests have managed to arrive, but not all. Some even wait until dessert.
Occasionally, you'll see a guest or two leave before dinner even starts.
Who is hosting the Met Gala?
None other than Beyoncé, a familiar gala guest, is a co-chair, joined by Nicole Kidman, tennis champion Venus Williams and the one who runs it all, Vogue's Anna Wintour.
There's also a host committee chaired by designer Anthony Vaccarello and filmmaker Zoë Kravitz, and featuring names from Sabrina Carpenter and Teyana Taylor to Lena Dunham and Misty Copeland.
A Met press release also said the "exhibition and benefit are made possible by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos."
