Celebrating the Year of the Horse

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 5th Ave, 10028, New York City

July 1, 2026 – January 26, 2027

*Celebrating the Year of the Horse* explores the horse’s important role in Chinese civilization and its symbolic meaning in the East Asian lunar calendar. The twelve zodiac animals have been linked to the Chinese calendar since antiquity, and the Year of the Horse begins on February 17, 2026. Associated with power, strength, and vitality, the horse has long shaped daily life through agriculture, transport, trade, warfare, and sport. In ancient China, horse-drawn chariots carried military leaders and elites, while in the Tang dynasty horses came to represent imperial strength and cosmopolitan energy. In popular culture and spiritual belief, horses are also seen as noble and auspicious creatures that bring protection and prosperity. Drawing on works from The Met’s collection in ceramics, glass, jade, metal, and woodblock prints, the presentation highlights the horse’s enduring artistic, cultural, and symbolic significance.