The New Museum will reopen to the public on March 21, the New York City institution shared this week in a press statement. It was originally slated to reopen fall 2025, as reported by AN last February, but the reopening was prolonged by several months.
The original SANAA flagship building has been closed since March 2024 to accommodate the construction of a 60,000 square foot addition by OMA and Cooper Robertson. The addition will feature the New Museum’s first full-service restaurant, designed by OMA, operated by Henry Rich of the Oberon Group.
Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas are the project leads at OMA, and Cooper Robertson is the executive architect. OMA first shared renderings of the project in 2019. The addition doubles the New Museum’s footprint.
Lisa Phillips, New Museum’s Toby Devan Lewis Director, said in a statement the “new 120,000 [square foot] building on the Bowery signals our redoubled commitment to new art and new ideas, and to the museum as an ever-evolving site for risk-taking, collaboration, and experimentation.”
Artist Tschabalala Self has designed an installation for the New Museum’s facade, following in the footsteps of Chris Burden (Ghost Ship) and Ugo Rondinone (Hell Yes!).
Another sculptural installation by Czech artist Klára Hosnedlová will be hung from the addition’s internal spiral staircase. Likewise, a commission by Sarah Lucas will live in the plaza outside the building’s main entrance.
Museum officials also announced this week an expanded list of artists that will participate in the addition’s inaugural exhibition, New Humans: Memories of the Future. The exhibition will have more than 200 works by contemporary and late artists.
Pieces by Hito Steyerl, Tau Lewis, and Daria Martin will coalesce near works by El Lissitzky, Hannah Höch, Tatsuo Ikeda, and other historic artists as part of the group show.
Free opening weekend tickets will be offered thanks to support from Charlotte Feng Ford, New Museum Trustee. Ticket registrations will open to the public February 2026, museum officials said.
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