Patrick Bringley

Working at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

A lovely philosophical story of Bringley's years as a security guard at the Met and his dealing with the grief of his brother's death.

This was a fantastic little tour of the Metropolitan and , at the same time, something of a coming of age story and a primer on dealing with grief. You’ll definitely want to keep a device handy so you can see all the works referenced in the book. The author provides a helpful list at the end of the book

This memoir provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Through the author's eyes, we go behind the public spaces to view the work of the huge cadre of museum guards. Details about the training and support of the guards (including a sock allowance!) provide insights about museum operations that patrons would never guess. Bringley's back story about grieving the death of his brother make this book all the more memorable.