New Museum: Expanding Contemporary Art in New York City

In the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, contemporary art has found its home at the New Museum, the only museum in the borough dedicated exclusively to this artistic discipline. On March 21, 2026, the institution will unveil its ambitious expansion—an architectural project that enhances both its scale and its cultural reach.

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Architecture in dialogue with the city

Construction of the seven-story expansion began in November 2022, adding more than 60,000 square feet of exhibition space and seamlessly connecting with the museum’s existing galleries. The new design proposes a fluid, dynamic layout, with openings that create an ongoing dialogue with the surrounding urban landscape.

New Museum: Expanding Contemporary Art in New York City - captura-de-pantalla-2026-01-26-a-las-34118pm — Render: Courtesy of OMA

Located in one of New York’s most culturally influential neighborhoods, the Lower East Side has historically served as a point of arrival for migrant communities throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. This cultural diversity turned the area into a breeding ground for creativity—a spirit the museum aims to amplify through new public spaces and community-facing services.

A cultural ecosystem in motion

The expansion also includes a larger bookstore, a restaurant, a roof terrace for exhibitions, educational forums, offices, and a cultural incubator. All of these components are part of NEW INC, the museum’s platform for supporting community-based and educational initiatives, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for dialogue between artists and audiences.

New Museum: Expanding Contemporary Art in New York City - captura-de-pantalla-2026-01-26-a-las-34156pm — Render: Courtesy of OMA

Clad in a grid of laminated glass and metal, the building’s exterior reinterprets the original façade through a contemporary lens. The transparency serves as an architectural gesture of openness—inviting people in to explore and participate, signaling the museum’s continued engagement with the city.

OMA and experience as contemporary value

The project was led by Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas, partners at the renowned architectural firm OMA (Office for Metropolitan Architecture). According to Shigematsu, one of the key challenges was to honor and amplify the relationship with the original building—not to hide it, but to stage a conversation between the new and the existing. In this context, the architect reflects on how the notion of contemporary luxury has evolved: it is no longer about owning things, but about living meaningful experiences.

New Museum: Expanding Contemporary Art in New York City - captura-de-pantalla-2026-01-26-a-las-34051pm — Render: Courtesy of OMA

An inaugural exhibition that looks ahead

To mark this new chapter, the New Museum will open with a group show titled New Humans: Memories of the Future, featuring over 150 international artists, scientists, architects, and filmmakers. The exhibition explores what it means to be human in the face of accelerating technology, offering visions of possible futures while never losing sight of our shared humanity.