William Walks Again William, a 4,000-year-old

William Walks Again

William, a 4,000-year-old blue faience hippopotamus, is The Met’s beloved mascot. But behind his cheerful turquoise glaze lies a dark ritual: when buried in the tomb of Steward Senbi around 1900 B.C., ancient Egyptian priests deliberately snapped his legs to prevent his destructive river spirit from harming the deceased in the afterlife. Three of his four legs are modern restorations.

"William Walks Again" dramatizes the rupture of this ancient curse:

The Meir Tomb (1900 B.C.): An ancient Egyptian priest ritually fractures the faience figurine's legs by torchlight.

Midnight in Gallery 111: Present day. Molten 24k gold flows into William's cracked limbs via sacred Japanese kintsugi, healing the severed seams.

The Vitrine Shatter: Living Nile water lilies (Nymphaea caerulea) bloom as the security vitrine dissolves into suspended crystalline light.

The Colossus of Dendur: William expands into a colossal three-story guardian striding through the flooded Sackler Wing past the ancient Temple of Dendur.

Dawn at Central Park: Striding out into the morning mist, he reclaims his rightful place as an eternal protector of nature and art.