diff --git a/examples/Console/TestMetrics.cs b/examples/Console/TestMetrics.cs
index f985add3e53..753e2ee4873 100644
--- a/examples/Console/TestMetrics.cs
+++ b/examples/Console/TestMetrics.cs
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ internal static object Run(MetricsOptions options)
                 providerBuilder
                     .AddOtlpExporter(o =>
                     {
-                        o.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds = options.DefaultCollectionPeriodMilliseconds;
+                        o.MetricReaderType = MetricReaderType.Periodic;
+                        o.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.ExportIntervalMilliseconds = options.DefaultCollectionPeriodMilliseconds;
                         o.AggregationTemporality = options.IsDelta ? AggregationTemporality.Delta : AggregationTemporality.Cumulative;
                     });
             }
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net461/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net461/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index a2b66e32a7b..019222ac6fc 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net461/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net461/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.ExportProcessorType.get -> OpenTeleme
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.ExportProcessorType.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.get -> string
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Headers.set -> void
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.get -> int
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MetricReaderType
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.OtlpExporterOptions() -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.get -> OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.set -> void
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Shipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Shipped.txt
index 8ec11493d3a..b457c2d381d 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Shipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Shipped.txt
@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpTraceExporter.OtlpTraceExporter(OpenTelemetry.Exporte
 OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpTraceExporterHelperExtensions
 override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpTraceExporter.Export(in OpenTelemetry.Batch<System.Diagnostics.Activity> activityBatch) -> OpenTelemetry.ExportResult
 override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpTraceExporter.OnShutdown(int timeoutMilliseconds) -> bool
-static OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpTraceExporterHelperExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder
\ No newline at end of file
+static OpenTelemetry.Trace.OtlpTraceExporterHelperExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Trace.TracerProviderBuilder
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index 5623755decc..5e639038eaa 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/net5.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.AggregationTemporality
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.set -> void
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.get -> int
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MetricReaderType
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.get -> OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
@@ -12,4 +14,4 @@ OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpMetricExporter.OtlpMetricExporter(OpenTelemetry.Expor
 OpenTelemetry.Metrics.OtlpMetricExporterExtensions
 override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpMetricExporter.Export(in OpenTelemetry.Batch<OpenTelemetry.Metrics.Metric> metrics) -> OpenTelemetry.ExportResult
 override OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpMetricExporter.OnShutdown(int timeoutMilliseconds) -> bool
-static OpenTelemetry.Metrics.OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MeterProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MeterProviderBuilder
\ No newline at end of file
+static OpenTelemetry.Metrics.OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.AddOtlpExporter(this OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MeterProviderBuilder builder, System.Action<OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions> configure = null) -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MeterProviderBuilder
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index cb00454d3bf..5e639038eaa 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.0/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.AggregationTemporality
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.set -> void
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.get -> int
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MetricReaderType
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.get -> OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.1/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.1/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
index cb00454d3bf..5e639038eaa 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.1/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/.publicApi/netstandard2.1/PublicAPI.Unshipped.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.AggregationTemporality
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.AggregationTemporality.set -> void
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.get -> int
-OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.MetricReaderType
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.MetricReaderType.set -> void
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.get -> OpenTelemetry.Metrics.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions
+OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.get -> OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExporterOptions.Protocol.set -> void
 OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OtlpExportProtocol
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
index 704f3ed69c9..152b15123ef 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+* Added configuration options for `MetricReaderType` to allow for configuring
+  the `OtlpMetricExporter` to export either manually or periodically.
+  ([#2674](https://github.com/open-telemetry/opentelemetry-dotnet/pull/2674))
+
 ## 1.2.0-beta2
 
 Released 2021-Nov-19
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporterOptions.cs b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporterOptions.cs
index 6ed3e13a161..f46bbe61559 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporterOptions.cs
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpExporterOptions.cs
@@ -109,9 +109,14 @@ public OtlpExporterOptions()
         public BatchExportProcessorOptions<Activity> BatchExportProcessorOptions { get; set; } = new BatchExportActivityProcessorOptions();
 
         /// <summary>
-        /// Gets or sets the metric export interval in milliseconds. The default value is 60000.
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="MetricReaderType" /> to use. Defaults to <c>MetricReaderType.Periodic</c>.
         /// </summary>
-        public int MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds { get; set; } = 60000;
+        public MetricReaderType MetricReaderType { get; set; } = MetricReaderType.Periodic;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the <see cref="PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions" /> options. Ignored unless <c>MetricReaderType</c> is <c>Periodic</c>.
+        /// </summary>
+        public PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions { get; set; } = new PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions();
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets or sets the AggregationTemporality used for Histogram
diff --git a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.cs b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.cs
index 8b314befe5a..46e672a844c 100644
--- a/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.cs
+++ b/src/OpenTelemetry.Exporter.OpenTelemetryProtocol/OtlpMetricExporterExtensions.cs
@@ -55,7 +55,11 @@ private static MeterProviderBuilder AddOtlpExporter(MeterProviderBuilder builder
             options.AppendExportPath(initialEndpoint, OtlpExporterOptions.MetricsExportPath);
 
             var metricExporter = new OtlpMetricExporter(options);
-            var metricReader = new PeriodicExportingMetricReader(metricExporter, options.MetricExportIntervalMilliseconds);
+
+            var metricReader = options.MetricReaderType == MetricReaderType.Manual
+                ? new BaseExportingMetricReader(metricExporter)
+                : new PeriodicExportingMetricReader(metricExporter, options.PeriodicExportingMetricReaderOptions.ExportIntervalMilliseconds);
+
             metricReader.Temporality = options.AggregationTemporality;
             return builder.AddReader(metricReader);
         }