MET DIRECTOR TO TEACH AT NYU

AVV 5-27 #740543

NEW YORK CITY (AP) — Philippe de Montebello, who is retiring as director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, will teach at New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts.

Montebello tells The New York Times he will be teaching the history of collecting and how the museum’s mission can be defined in today’s world. The official announcement was scheduled to be made at a recent dinner night.

Montebello earned his master’s degree in art history at the Institute of Fine Arts.

He also will advise the university on its plan for a campus at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, and help shape its visual arts offerings there.

Montebello will join NYU in January 2009 or as soon as his successor at the Met is named. He has been director there for 31 years.