From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Twelve-year-old Claudia Kincaid, frustrated by the chaos of her family life and her own perceived lack of heroism, decides to run away with her younger brother Jamie. Their destination is not the wilderness but the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where they plan to live in the galleries and become independent. The narrative follows their attempt to maintain order and dignity in an environment that is both grand and hostile to their presence, as they navigate the museum's architecture, its collections, and the adults who encounter them.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.