New Museum reopens
New York’s New Museum has reopened after an $82 million expansion with a new survey called “New Humans” — a maximalist show mixing surrealists, robots and people‑machines curated by Massimiliano Gioni. Reviews and social buzz frame it as a gallery on the threshold of a new age for tech‑inflected art. ( )
The museum opened its doors to the public on March 21, 2026, after a two‑year closure for construction, and offered free admission for the opening weekend on March 21–22. (newmuseum.org) The new seven‑storey wing was designed by OMA (led by Shohei Shigematsu with Rem Koolhaas) in collaboration with Cooper Robertson and adds roughly 60,000 square feet, bringing the institution’s total footprint to about 120,000 square feet and effectively doubling exhibition capacity. (newmuseum.org) The expansion reconfigures visitor flow with three new elevators, an Atrium Stair and an entrance plaza, and creates new program spaces including an enlarged Sky Room and a 74‑seat Forum as well as a full‑service restaurant to be operated by the Oberon Group. (newmuseum.org) The museum’s inauguration survey fills the expanded galleries with work by more than 200 artists, filmmakers, writers, architects and scientists, placing recent commissions alongside historical works from the twentieth century. (newmuseum.org) Museum leadership said the exhibition includes nearly 20 new site‑specific commissions and represents artists from over 56 countries. (ny1.com) The OMA building has been named for the late trustee and donor Toby Devan Lewis in recognition of her major support for the project, and the institution has reported raising roughly $118 million toward its broader capital campaign. (newmuseum.org) Longtime director Lisa Phillips, who led the museum for 26 years, is scheduled to retire in April 2026, making the reopening the final major milestone of her tenure. (newmuseum.org)
