The Metropolitan Opera Club is a private social club within the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City. Founded in 1893 and incorporated in 1899, the club maintains its own dining room (designed by Angelo Donghia and later renovated by Peter Pennoyer) and boxes on the dress circle level of the opera house, and is open to its members for several performances a week during the opera season. Informally known as the "Opera Club", the club is independent of the Metropolitan Opera Association (MOA) (the official name of the Metropolitan Opera).
Founded as a men-only club, the Opera Club has admitted women as full members since 1982.
Members and their guests are required to wear black-tie for evening performances (although white-tie is requested for premieres, galas and certain Monday night performances) and a dark suit or morning dress for Saturday matinee performances.[1] The membership is sometimes affectionately referred to as "the Penguins" because of its attire.