The New Museum’s long-awaited expansion, designed by OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu and Rem Koolhaas in collaboration with Cooper Robertson, is set to open in fall 2025. This 60,000-square-foot addition will introduce a striking new volume adjacent to the museum’s existing SANAA-designed building, enhancing spatial fluidity while nearly doubling the institution’s exhibition capacity.
Cultural Architecture
The new seven-story structure is designed as a distinct yet complementary counterpart to the original museum. Its façade, composed of laminated glass with a metal mesh core, maintains visual continuity with the SANAA building while offering greater transparency. The expansion prioritizes circulation, introducing an atrium stairway that connects all levels, three additional elevators, and open-plan gallery spaces designed to maximize curatorial flexibility.
Beyond its role as an exhibition space, the new building will house purpose-built venues for artist residencies, a 74-seat forum, and an expanded home for NEW INC, the museum’s cultural incubator. At ground level, an enlarged lobby integrates a bookstore, a full-service restaurant, and a new entrance plaza, activating the corner of Bowery and Prince Street as a dynamic public space. On the upper levels, three terraces and a doubled Sky Room offer sweeping views of downtown Manhattan.
The expansion was made possible by a $30 million gift from the late philanthropist Toby Devan Lewis, marking the largest contribution in the museum’s history. In honor of her legacy, the new building will bear her name. To date, the museum has raised $118 million of its $125 million campaign goal, with $82 million allocated to construction.
OMA’s design presents a shift from the verticality of the original museum toward a more open, horizontally expansive approach. By integrating flexible gallery spaces with areas for public engagement, the project redefines how contemporary art institutions interact with both their physical surroundings and the broader cultural landscape.
Opening with the exhibition New Humans: Memories of the Future, featuring over 150 artists, the expansion signals a transformative moment for the New Museum, reinforcing its commitment to architectural experimentation and progressive curatorial vision.
