May 12, 2008 1:34 pm US/Eastern
Emily K. Rafferty Oversees Changes At The Met
CBS 2HD Celebrates The President Of New York's Premier Museum
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
The days of working in one place for 30 years are starting to come to an end but the value of that kind of experience is obvious. For Emily K. Rafferty, three decades at the Metropolitan Museum has provided invaluable wisdom. And anyone who has enjoyed that gorgeous institution has reaped the benefits of her labor.
"Certainly when I walked through the door in 1976 I never envisioned on becoming president of the Museum, absolutely not. I knew right away that it was a place I wanted to be part of," Rafferty said.
And 31 years later, it's still a place she's not only a part of but president of. In 2005, Rafferty took the reigns as president of the Met - a role she is still in awe of.
"When you are passionate about what you do, and you believe in what you do, it is so easy to ask people for money," Rafferty said.
Emily has has had to ask a lot of people for a lot of money. That skill has translated into some of the world's most beautiful collections.
She now manages a staff of 2500 people, plus 1000 volunteers. Her work has paid off. The Met now is one of North America's largest and most impressive museums - a place all New Yorkers can take enormous pride in - Emily Rafferty included.
"Well certainly the physical changes in the Museum, I've been here long enough to have been apart of the American wing when it was first built and opened. And now I am a part of it's implosion so it can completely be restructured and rebuilt and improved, Rafferty said."
When asked if she was overwhelmed by the beauty of a particular piece or something in the Museum, Rafferty answered: "Everyday. I had a friend here in the early days in the Museum who said what she did. She stood in front of different work of art that she hadn't seen recently and didn't remember was there, I follow that, and it's tremendously rewarding every single day."
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