The New Museum expansion, designed by OMA, will open in Fall 2025 with an exhibition on humanity. The New Museum, the only museum in New York dedicated exclusively to contemporary art, has evolved from a small office on Hudson Street to a prominent center for exhibitions, research, and documentation of living international artists’ works. In 2017, Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas from OMA were chosen to design the museum’s expansion, with the first design images released in 2019.
The New Museum expansion includes a doubled gallery space, improved visitor circulation, and the creation of a dedicated area for the museum’s innovation hub, NEW INC. This center, the first cultural innovation hub managed by a museum, supports over 120 creative entrepreneurs by providing shared workspaces and production facilities. The new design seamlessly integrates with the museum’s original building and features elements such as an atrium, additional terraces, and a special space for resident artists.
It explores the concept of humanity during times of significant technological change. The exhibition will feature works by over 150 international artists, writers, scientists, architects, and filmmakers, examining key moments in history when technological and societal changes have reshaped conceptions of humanity. Additionally, the museum will reopen with site-specific artworks, including “Venus Victoria” by Sarah Lucas, the first recipient of the Hostetler/Wrigley Sculpture Award.
The architectural firm OMA, with offices in cities such as Rotterdam, New York, Hong Kong, and Australia, has completed notable projects worldwide. Some of these include the renovation of the King’s Gallery at the Egyptian Museum in Turin, the exhibition set design for the Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, and the design of the Simone Weil Bridge in Bordeaux.