New Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1977 |
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| Location | 235 Bowery Manhattan, New York City, New York 10002 United States |
| Type | Contemporary art |
| Public transit access | Bus: M103 Subway:   at Second Avenue,   at Bowery |
The New Museum of Contemporary Art is a museum in New York City. It is located at 235 Bowery in Manhattan. The museum was started in 1977 by Marcia Tucker. It focuses on showing new art and fresh ideas.
Contents
Exploring the Museum's History
The New Museum first opened in 1977 at the New School for Social Research. In 1983, it moved to the Astor Building in the SoHo neighborhood.
In 1999, Lisa Phillips became the new director. She had worked at the Whitney Museum of American Art before. The museum also used a temporary space in the Chelsea Art Museum for a year in 2001.
The New Museum has shown art from many countries. These include Argentina, China, Germany, India, and South Africa. In 2003, the museum teamed up with Rhizome. This is a top online group for new media art. In 2005, the museum received a large grant. This money came from the Carnegie Corporation.
What the Museum Believes In
The New Museum was created by Marcia Tucker in 1977. Its main goal is to show new art and ideas. It features artists who are not yet widely known. Since it began, the museum has aimed to be different. It wants to challenge old ideas about art museums. It keeps bringing new thoughts into the art world. It also works to connect with the public.
The Museum's Current Home
On December 1, 2007, the New Museum opened its new building. It is located at 235 Bowery. The building cost $50 million to build. It was designed by SANAA, a firm from Tokyo, and Gensler from New York. This new, larger space has allowed the museum to show more art.
The design of the building fits the museum's mission. Its flexible and changing look matches the ever-evolving nature of modern art. The building is made of stacked white boxes. It stands out in the Bowery neighborhood. This design shows how different parts of modern culture can exist together.
In April 2008, the museum's new building was called one of the "architectural New Seven Wonders of the World" by Conde Nast Traveler. The New Museum is an important landmark in the Bowery area. The museum's directors feel the building fits the adventurous spirit of the neighborhood.
The Bowery location has galleries and event spaces. It also has a Resource Center. Here, visitors can find books and computers. They can access the museum's website and digital archive. This archive has 7,500 written and visual items. It helps artists and researchers. The archive can be searched by 4,000 artists, curators, and groups.
New Expansion for the 2020s
The museum bought the building next door in 2008. In 2016, the New Museum announced plans for an expansion. They raised $43 million for this project. The museum later aimed to raise $125 million. In 2017, they hired OMA to design the new part.
OMA shared plans for the annex in 2019. It was expected to cost $63 million. The new building has seven floors, matching the 2007 building. It has a glass front and 60,000 square feet of gallery space. There is also an elevator and stairs on the outside. The annex is named after Toby Devan Lewis, who gave $20 million for its construction. The New York Times said the new annex focuses on "transparency and upward movement."
Construction on the annex began in 2022. The main museum building closed in March 2024 for the annex to be finished. While closed, museum staff led walking tours and artist discussions. The annex's main structure was completed in November 2024. In February 2025, the museum announced it would reopen later that year. This expansion will double the museum's exhibition space. A restaurant will also open at the base of the annex.
Employees Form a Union
On January 24, 2019, employees at the New Museum voted to form a union. They joined NewMuU-UAW Local 2110. The employees wanted fair pay and benefits. They also asked for more transparency in how the museum operates. They believe fair treatment helps keep the museum diverse and strong.
The Museum's Art Collection
When Marcia Tucker started the museum, she had a unique idea. She wanted the museum to buy and sell art every 10 years. This would keep the collection fresh. However, this plan was never fully carried out. In 2000, the museum received its first art donation from a company.
The museum once had about 1,000 artworks. These included many types of art. In 2004, it worked with other museums. They raised money to help new, young artists. As of 2021, the New Museum does not collect art permanently. Instead, it focuses on showing temporary exhibitions.
Exhibitions and the Triennial
The museum shows the work of artists who are not yet widely known. It has featured artists like Ana Mendieta and William Kentridge. These artists later became very famous. In 2003, the New Museum held a popular exhibition called Black President: The Art and Legacy of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
In 2009, the museum started a special exhibition series. It is called the "New Museum Triennial." The first one was "The Generational: Younger Than Jesus." Since then, there have been other Triennials. These include "The Ungovernables" (2012) and "Surround Audience" (2015).
Margot Norton has organized many exhibitions. These include shows by Laure Prouvost and Judith Bernstein. In 2016, the museum hosted "The Keeper." This show had over 4,000 objects. It explored why people collect things. In March 2023, it was announced that Vivian Crockett and Isabella Rjeille will co-curate the 6th Triennial in 2026.
Past Exhibitions
- Hans Haacke: All Connected (October 24, 2019 to January 26, 2020)
- Marianna Simnett: Blood In My Milk (April 9, 2018 to June 1, 2019)
- Petrit Halilaj: RU (September 27, 2017 to January 7, 2018)
- Raymond Pettibon: A Pen of All Work (until April 9, 2017)
- Pipilotti Rist: Pixel Forest (October 26, 2016 to January 15, 2017)
- My Barbarian: The Audience is Always Right (September 28, 2016 to January 8, 2017)
- Surround Audience triennial (February 25, 2015 to May 24, 2015)
- Niv Acosta: Discotropic (February 25, 2015 to May 24, 2015)
- Night and Day: Chris Ofili (October 29, 2014 to February 1, 2015)
- Christen Clifford: Wolf Woman performance (2014)
- Lili Reynaud-Dewar: LIVE THROUGH THAT?! (October 15, 2014 to January 25, 2015)
- Here and Elsewhere (July 16, 2014 to September 28, 2014)
- Pawel Althamer: The Neighbors (February 12, 2014 to April 13, 2014)
- Laure Prouvost: For Forgetting (February 12, 2014 to April 13, 2014)
- Report on the Construction of a Spaceship Module (January 22, 2014 to April 13, 2014)
- Occupied Territory: A New Museum Trilogy (January 22, 2014 to April 13, 2014)
- Chris Burden: Extreme Measures (October 2, 2013 to January 12, 2014)
- Ghosts in the Machine (July 18, 2012 to September 30, 2012)
- The Ungovernables triennial (February 15, 2012 to April 22, 2012)
- Carsten Höller: Experience (October 26, 2011 to January 22, 2012)
- Ostalgia (July 7, 2011 to September 2, 2011)
- Rivane Neuenschwander: A Day Like Any Other (June 23, 2010 to September 19, 2010)
- Younger than Jesus triennial (April 8, 2009 to July 12, 2009)
- Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton (October 8, 2008 to January 11, 2009)
- Unmonumental: The Object in the 21st Century (December 1, 2007 to March 30, 2008)
Other Programs and Activities
Rhizome is a non-profit group. It supports and shares new media art. It has worked with the New Museum since 2003. Rhizome offers events, exhibitions, a website, and an archive. The archive has over 2,000 new media artworks.
In 2008, art dealer Barbara Gladstone started the Stuart Regen Visionaries Fund. This fund honors her son. It supports a series of public talks. These "Visionaries Series" talks feature important thinkers. They discuss art, architecture, design, and culture. Past speakers include author Rachel Kushner and explorer Erling Kagge.
NEW INC is a special program led by the museum. It is a shared workspace and training program. It helps creative people working in art, technology, and design. The New Museum started NEW INC in 2013. It is a non-profit platform. It helps the museum support new art and ideas. Since 2014, NEW INC has been a place for 100 members to explore new ideas. They also learn how to make their creative work sustainable.
In 2021, the New Museum started the Hostetler/Wrigley Sculpture Award. This award commissions five women artists to create sculptures. Each artist receives $400,000 for their project.
IdeasCity was a New Museum program that ran for nine years. It explored art and culture outside the museum walls. It started in 2011. IdeasCity worked with many art, design, and community groups. It included a festival in New York City. It also had programs in cities around the world. The IdeasCity program ended in 2020.
How the Museum is Managed
Funding the Museum
In 2002, the New Museum sold its old building in SoHo for $18 million. It then bought the new Bowery site for $5 million. To pay for the new building and its future, the museum raised about $64 million.
Board of Trustees
Since becoming director, Lisa Phillips has grown the museum's board. It now has 42 members, up from 18. The board includes important art collectors.
See also
In Spanish: New Museum para niños
