New Museum reopens

The New Museum reopened to the public on March 21, 2026, occupying a paired campus at 231 Bowery directly adjacent to its original SANAA building at 235 Bowery. (newmuseum.org / newyorkyimby.com) The institution’s own statement describes the project as adding roughly 60,000 square feet and bringing the museum’s total to about 120,000 square feet. (newmuseum.org) New York YIMBY’s technical write-up lists the expanded footprint at 115,277 square feet and records the new annex as a seven‑story, 174‑foot‑tall structure. (newyorkyimby.com) The annex houses three gallery floors, an 80‑seat restaurant, a larger bookstore, an expanded lobby with three new elevators (two dedicated to gallery access), and a public plaza; the press preview also flagged new artist studios and an upper‑level forum for education programs. (newyorkyimby.com) The relaunch was funded through a $130 million capital campaign, and officials at the ribbon cutting included Council Member Christopher Marte, NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman‑Sigal, State Assemblymember Grace Lee, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, director Lisa Phillips, and New Museum board president James‑Keith Brown. (newmuseum.org) “New Humans: Memories of the Future” is curated by Massimiliano Gioni with Gary Carrion‑Murayari, Vivian Crockett, and Madeline Weisburg, and the New Museum lists the presentation as bringing works by more than 150 international artists and cultural figures including Hito Steyerl, Anicka Yi, Pierre Huyghe, Precious Okoyomon and historic figures such as Francis Bacon. (newmuseum.org) The museum announced that longtime director Lisa Phillips will retire in April 2026 after 26 years leading the institution, a transition set to follow the expanded building’s public reopening. (newmuseum.org)