An Introduction to the New Museum’s Breathtaking Expansion, Scheduled to Launch in Early 2026

In November 2022, the New Museum situated in lower Manhattan commenced work on a 60,000-square-foot extension. Approximately three years later, this significant project is approaching completion and is set to open to the public in early 2026. Based solely on initial visuals, the expansion is poised to herald an exciting new chapter for the esteemed museum, which has influenced the culture, aesthetics, and prominence of contemporary art since 1977.

With the leadership of OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas and in partnership with Cooper Robertson, the expansion centers around a new seven-story edifice. This structure is visually unique, featuring a facade replete with sloping, angular shapes and geometric windows wrapping around its periphery. Internally, the OMA-designed addition is flawlessly integrated with the museum’s current areas, harmonizing ceiling heights on the second, third, and fourth floors to ensure seamless connectivity between the buildings. Altogether, the construction will double the New Museum’s gallery space while enhancing vertical movement for visitors via a striking atrium staircase that offers views of the neighboring landscape.

However, this expansion does more than merely extend the New Museum’s physical presence. It provides breathtaking new settings to engage with art, incorporating an expanded lobby that includes a larger bookstore and a full-service dining establishment. Just past the main entrance lies a plaza, designated as a venue for open-air public art displays, nestled between Bowery and Prince Street. At the core of this building is the seventh-floor Sky Room, which will also expand in size while maintaining its sweeping vistas of downtown Manhattan. Additionally, there are three further upper-level terraces, affording even greater chances to appreciate the dynamic neighborhood that the New Museum inhabits.

“The New Museum has always been oriented towards the future—not merely a space for preserving and documenting history, but a venue where history is created,” stated Lisa Phillips, the Toby Devan Lewis Director of the New Museum.

Shigematsu, one of the OMA architects spearheading the project, reiterated this notion: “The New Museum serves as an incubator for new cultural viewpoints and production, and the expansion seeks to reflect that spirit of openness.”

In fact, the debut exhibition of the expansion, New Humans: Memories of the Future, further exemplifies this spirit. Showcasing works by over 150 international artists, writers, scientists, architects, and filmmakers, the exhibition explores the impact of technological innovations on not only art production but also humanity and society at large. Groundbreaking contemporary artists like Wangechi Mutu, Tau Lewis, and Philippe Parreno engage in dialogue with modernists such as Salvador Dalí, Francis Bacon, Hannah Höch, and El Lissitzky, resulting in a captivating narrative that traces the interplay of optimism, technology, and futurism. Overall, New Humans aligns with the New Museum’s tradition, where exhibitions frequently focus on experimental and surprising subjects.

“New Humans is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary exhibition that furthers the New Museum’s engagement with the most urgent issues of our time,” remarked Massimiliano Gioni, the museum’s Edlis Neeson Artistic Director. “As the museum embarks on a broad new chapter in its history, [the exhibition] underscores the crucial role artists play in interpreting and addressing the significant challenges that will shape our collective futures.”

The New Museum initially halted operations for renovation and construction in March 2024, with plans to reopen in early 2026. For updates on the schedule and to arrange your visit, visit the New Museum’s website.

The New Museum’s expansion, set to debut in early 2026, will double its exhibition area, create new spaces for residencies and programming, and much more.