The Museum of Modern Art is about to get a major update, and it’ll be closing at the end of the week to do so.
For four months after this Friday, June 15, the MoMA will be closed in order to complete $400 million worth of renovations. The museum is expected to reopen on October 21, with an additional 40,000-square-feet of space.
The additional square footage will be used as gallery space to feature more of the museum’s permanent collections, as well as “[enable] the Museum to exhibit significantly more art in new and interdisciplinary ways.” For instance, there will be a “studio” space in the center of the museum will offer live performances and programs that will “challenge histories of modern art and the current cultural moment.” There will also be a second level “platform” dedicated to art education, and additional street level galleries that will be open to the public for free.
This expansion was developed by the MoMA in collaboration with architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler. In a statement made by MoMA’s Director, Glenn Lowry, he says:
“Inspired by Alfred Barr’s original vision to be an experimental museum in New York, the real value of this expansion is not just more space, but space that allows us to rethink the experience of art in the museum. We have an opportunity to re-energize and expand upon our founding mission—to welcome everyone to experience MoMA as a laboratory for the study and presentation of the art of our time, across all visual arts.”
In the meantime, if you’re looking to explore some fascinating art check out some of these other museums around the city.
featured image source: Photo by: Diller Scofidio + Renfro