The Metropolitan Opera was founded in 1883 with its first opera house located at 39th Street and Broadway. The current venue opened at Lincoln Center in September 1996.

Wallace K. Harrison designed The Metropolitan Opera, which is the world's largest repertory opera house. Aside from Metropolitan Opera performances, the venue hosts the American Ballet Theatre during the summer, and various touring opera and ballet companies as well as concerts.

Artists ranging from Renée Fleming to Paul McCartney to Barbra Streisand have performed on the Metropolitan Opera House stage. By 2017, the venue had hosted over 11,000 performances.