New Museum is finally living up to its name, opening ticket reservations today for its long-awaited new building.
New Museum is one of New York’s leading — and arguably boldest — institutions dedicated to contemporary art:
It closed in 2024 to spend two (very fast-flying) years expanding its stylish but relatively compact home. The new addition merges with the existing structure to create a unified museum space: the ceilings of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors have been carefully aligned to form a seamless flow between the two volumes.
The original 2007 building was designed by my favorite Japanese architecture firm, SANAA (also known for Grace Farms). Now it is joined by a new structure designed by OMA — led by Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with Cooper Robertson. This will be OMA’s first public building completed in New York.
From the outside, the two buildings will appear distinct; inside, they will function as a single organism.
Highlights include:
- An atrium staircase with panoramic views of the neighborhood, designed to host site-specific art installations.
- A 100-seat restaurant and an expanded bookstore on the ground floor.
- A forum for educational and public programs connected to the existing Sky Room on the upper levels.
- And most intriguingly, the world’s first museum-based cultural incubator for creative entrepreneurs working at the intersection of art, technology, and design.
Practical information
🎟️ Tickets are now available — and (great news) free — at newmuseum.org
🕰 The museum reopens on March 21 with the exhibition New Humans: Memories of the Future, featuring more than 150 artists, writers, scientists, and architects from around the world.
📍 New Museum / 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
