How The Met Uses OpenAI to Bring Historical Fashion Exhibits to Life

The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has long been celebrated for its visually stunning exhibitions, but engagement has historically been one-directional — visitors observe artifacts without direct interaction. For the landmark "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" exhibit, the museum wanted to push beyond static displays and invite visitors into a genuine dialogue with history.\n\nTo achieve this, The Met partnered with OpenAI to develop a first-of-its-kind interactive AI experience centered on Natalie Potter, a prominent New York socialite from the early 1900s whose 1931 wedding dress is featured in the exhibition. The challenge was to create an AI persona that felt historically grounded and respectful of the source material, rather than a generic chatbot.\n\nOpenAI worked closely with the museum's digital team, curators, and historians to assemble a rich dataset of primary sources — letters, period newspaper articles, and archival documents — all tied to Natalie Potter's life. This material was used to fine-tune a custom version of OpenAI's most capable language model with tailored instructions, enabling the AI to respond in a manner consistent with Natalie's character and her historical context.\n\nThe resulting "Chat with Natalie" experience gave exhibition visitors an active role in exploring the story behind the dress. Rather than reading a placard, guests could ask Natalie directly about her wedding, her social world, and the fashions of her time. The experience was built with the same content safety mechanisms as ChatGPT, ensuring interactions remained appropriate for all audiences.\n\nThe collaboration represents a broader vision for how AI can deepen cultural and educational experiences. By transforming a museum exhibit into a living conversation, The Met and OpenAI demonstrated that AI can serve as a bridge between historical artifacts and modern audiences — making the past more accessible, engaging, and personal.