In 2007, the New Museum opened its doors on Bowery as Manhattan’s only museum devoted entirely to contemporary art. This spring, it finally reopens after a two-year closure following major renovations. 

The New Museum will reopen its doors on March 21, 2026. For the opening weekend, visitors will be offered free admission. “Our new 120,000 sq ft 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,” says Lisa Phillips, Toby Devan Lewis Director of the New Museum.

Nearly doubling in size, the building expansion was completed by designers OMA / Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in partnership with Architect Cooper Robertson. The design will double the gallery space for exhibitions and incorporates new features, including an addition of three elevators and new venues for public programs and events. On the museum’s ground level, the bookstore and lobby have been expanded, and a restaurant with a vegetable-forward menu will be launched and operated by the Oberon Group. 

For its opening exhibition, the works of 200 artists, writers, scientists and creatives will explore the intersection of technology and humanity. Works for this inaugural exhibition, “New Humans: Memories of the Future,” will be displayed throughout the entire museum and will explore what it means to be human in this age of technological advancement. The museum will announce the full list of participating artists and the exhibition’s accompanying programs in the coming weeks.

A few long-term works have been commissioned around the museum, including Tschabalala Self’s work on the museum’s façade, a sculpture by Klára Hosnedlová for the new Atrium Stair and a work by Sarah Lucas for the entrance’s public plaza. Beginning in February, tickets for the museum can be found online at newmuseum.org.