Updated: Friday, 22 March 2013 05:20 | By Agence France-Presse

New York's Metropolitan Museum to open 7/7

For the first time in four decades New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art will open seven days a week starting this July, the director announced Thursday.

"Art is a seven-day-a-week passion, and we want the Met to be accessible whenever visitors have the urge to experience this great museum," said Thomas Campbell, who is also the Met's CEO.

He said the Met saw a record 6.28 million visitors last year, but was "turning away many thousands more on Mondays, when we have traditionally been closed. Our new schedule will remedy that."

The Metropolitan Museum has been closed on Mondays since 1971. The change takes effect Monday, July 1.