After years of extensive planning, fundraising, and construction, two of New York City's most important contemporary art institutions are set to reopen their doors to the public this fall with major architectural transformations. The Studio Museum in Harlem and the New Museum on the Bowery will both debut significant expansions that promise to reshape their roles in the city's cultural landscape and strengthen their connections to their local communities.
In Harlem, the Studio Museum will open its first purpose-built facility on November 15th – a striking seven-story, 82,000 square foot building on West 125th Street that honors the museum's historic neighborhood roots while preparing it for future growth. The new structure, designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson as executive architect, replaces the museum's former converted bank building on the same site. Downtown, the New Museum will unveil a prismatic seven-story expansion to its existing flagship building at 235 Bowery, effectively doubling its exhibition space and enhancing its role as a hub for experimental contemporary art.
The Studio Museum, founded in 1968 during the Civil Rights era by a coalition of artists, activists, and philanthropists, has played a defining role in amplifying Black artistic voices for over five decades. "Our incredible new building makes it all the more possible for us to continue the work our founders set out to do," said Thelma Golden, the museum's director and chief curator. "To me, our new museum is a tribute to our founders, to Black art and to the people, past and present of Harlem."
The museum's capital campaign exceeded its $300 million goal in June, developed in partnership with the City of New York. The new building features 14,000 square feet of exhibition space – a 60% increase from its former home – along with 2,100 square feet of studios for the museum's artist-in-residence program. The architecture draws inspiration from Harlem's iconic brownstones, bustling street life, and places of worship, with a ground-floor façade made of precast concrete and glass that blurs the boundary between museum and neighborhood.
Unique features of the Studio Museum include a "reverse stoop" – a stepped space descending into the museum that serves as a flexible programming area for lectures and events. The building also offers 8,000 square feet of outdoor space, including a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding neighborhood for programming and special events. These design elements reflect the museum's mission to serve as both a space dedicated to artists of African descent and a communal hub for Harlem residents.
To inaugurate its new home, the Studio Museum will open with a comprehensive survey of the late artist, educator, and activist Tom Lloyd, whose work was featured in the museum's very first exhibition in 1968. The opening program will also showcase works from the museum's nearly 9,000-piece permanent collection, featuring renowned artists including Romare Bearden, Faith Ringgold, Jordan Casteel, Rashid Johnson, Dawoud Bey, and Lorraine O'Grady. More than 100 works on paper by past artist residents will be displayed in the fourth-floor studio spaces, and landmark pieces like David Hammons's "Untitled (African American Flag)" (2004) will return to the museum's façade.
Meanwhile, the New Museum on the Bowery is preparing to reopen this fall after closing in spring 2024 for its major expansion project. The seven-story, 62,000 square foot addition, designed by OMA's Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, will serve as a complementary yet distinct counterpoint to the museum's existing Sanaa-designed flagship building. The expansion doubles the New Museum's gallery space while improving visitor circulation with three new elevators, a central atrium stairwell, and a new outdoor plaza at the intersection of Bowery and Prince Street.
"Over our 50-year history, we have been driven by the impetus to better serve artists and the public," said Lisa Phillips, the New Museum's director. "OMA's design for the expansion addresses critical needs for artists and visitors while also providing the flexibility for the New Museum to continue to adapt and experiment." The museum has raised $118 million toward its $125 million capital campaign goal for the project.
The New Museum expansion includes an enlarged lobby with a bigger bookstore and full-service restaurant led by chef Julia Sherman, an expanded seventh-floor space with panoramic downtown views, and flexible programming areas including a 74-seat forum for lectures and screenings. For the first time, the facility will house a permanent home for New Inc, the museum's culture and technology incubator, featuring collaborative workspaces and a fabrication and media lab serving more than 100 creative entrepreneurs annually.
The New Museum will inaugurate its expanded facilities with "New Humans: Memories of the Future," a museum-wide exhibition featuring more than 150 artists, scientists, writers, architects, and filmmakers. The show includes new and recent works by contemporary artists such as Meriem Bennani, Hito Steyerl, Anicka Yi, Wangechi Mutu, Precious Okoyomon, and Tau Lewis, alongside historical pieces by 20th-century figures including Francis Bacon, Hannah Höch, and Salvador Dalí. The exhibition will explore how technological and social transformations have continuously reshaped our understanding of the human condition.
Both institutions are also expanding their educational initiatives and community engagement programs. The New Museum announced a $1 million Arts Education Impact Grant from the Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation in July to support high school programs including the Bowery Art Space and the NewMu Teen Fellowship. Site-specific commissions will also debut at both museums, including Tschabalala Self's "Art Lovers" sculptural installation on the New Museum's façade and works by Sarah Lucas and Klará Hosnedlová in the entrance plaza and atrium staircase.
These ambitious reopenings represent a significant moment for New York's cultural landscape, with both museums positioning themselves as more accessible, community-focused institutions. Looking ahead, the New Museum is planning the first New York museum solo exhibition devoted to artist Arthur Jafa in 2026, as well as the return of the New Museum Triennial. These major architectural transformations demonstrate how contemporary art institutions are reimagining their roles as not just exhibition spaces, but as vital community hubs that bridge the gap between high art and public engagement.
