Terrorism at the museum

Is the Met afraid of Mohammed?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art quietly pulled images of the Prophet Mohammed from its Islamic collection and may not include them in a renovated exhibition area slated to open in 2011, The Post has learned.

The museum said the controversial images -- objected to by conservative Muslims who say their religion forbids images of their holy founder -- were "under review."

Critics say the Met has a history of dodging criticism and likely wants to escape the kind of outcry that Danish cartoons of Mohammed caused in 2006.

"This is typical of the Met -- trying to avoid any controversy," said a source with inside knowledge of the museum.

Avoiding even the appearance of controversy under the pressure of political correctness and perhaps fear of bombing of their priceless works the Met also took the pre emptive move of

Just recently, it decided its highly anticipated "Islamic Galleries" will be given an awkward new name ahead of the 2011 opening. Visitors will stroll around rooms dedicated to art from "Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia," according to a museum press release.

The Met, located in New York City, is one of the major art museums in the world, let alone the US. These cowardly moves to appease potential terrorists and/or potential wealthy Muslim donors will not work, instead they, and other museums, will face more pressure to remove great works of arts with corresponding demands to display other arts works in an approved way.

And thus, fear of terrorism comes to the museums.

Which institution is next?