New and Expanded: Museums in NYC

New York City is a dynamic hub for art, culture, and history. It continually evolves to offer fresh experiences through new and newly expanded museums. Here are 48 of the latest additions to the NYC museum scene:

Africa Center

Opened in 2019, located in Harlem. This cultural institution focuses on African art, culture, and policy, providing exhibitions, public programs, and events.

American Folk Art Museum

Expanded in 2018, located in Lincoln Square. The renovation includes new galleries and educational spaces for displaying folk and outsider art.

American Museum of Natural History

Highlights include the Hall of Saurischian Dinosaurs, featuring the famous Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton, and the Rose Center for Earth and Space, which includes the impressive Hayden Planetarium.

Asia Society Museum

Expanded in 2011, located in the Upper East Side. The renovation includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities for showcasing Asian art and culture.

Brooklyn Children’s Museum

Expanded in 2008,the expansion includes new interactive exhibits and educational programs designed to engage and inspire children.

Brooklyn Museum

Expanded in 2020, located in Brooklyn. Recent renovations include new gallery spaces and improved facilities for exhibitions and public programs.

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

Reopened in 2014, located on the Upper East Side. The renovation includes new interactive galleries and digital tools for exploring design and innovation.

City Reliquary

Expanded in 2015, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This quirky museum showcases everyday artifacts from New York City’s history, celebrating the city’s unique culture and character.

Fotografiska New York

Opened in 2019, located in the Flatiron District. This photography museum features rotating exhibitions from renowned and emerging photographers, alongside a café and event spaces.

Fraunces Tavern Museum

Expanded in 2018, located in the Financial District. This historic site, which played a significant role in the American Revolution, now features enhanced exhibits on early American history.

Frick Collection

Scheduled to reopen in April 2025 after extensive renovations. The new design includes additional gallery spaces and the preservation of historic elements.

Jewish Museum

Expanded in 2021, located on the Upper East Side. The museum’s renovation includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities, enhancing its ability to showcase Jewish art and culture.

International Center of Photography

Relocated and expanded in 2020, located in the Lower East Side. The new space includes expanded galleries and educational facilities for showcasing photography and visual culture.

Institute of Arab and Islamic Art

Opened in 2017, located in SoHo. This museum aims to foster a deeper understanding of Arab and Islamic culture through contemporary art exhibitions and educational programs.

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Expanded in 2012, located in Hell’s Kitchen. The expansion includes new exhibits and educational programs focused on aviation, space exploration, and maritime history.

Japan Society Gallery

Renovated in 2018, located in Midtown Manhattan. The gallery offers exhibitions of traditional and contemporary Japanese art, enhancing cultural understanding through visual arts.

Judd Foundation

Renovated in 2013, located in SoHo. The foundation preserves and exhibits the living and working spaces of artist Donald Judd, offering insights into his minimalist art and design philosophy.

Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art

Expanded in 2016, located in SoHo. The museum, dedicated to LGBTQ+ art and culture, includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities.

Morgan Library & Museum

Expanded in 2010, located in Murray Hill. The renovation includes new galleries and public spaces for displaying rare books, manuscripts, and artworks.

El Museo del Barrio

Expanded in 2021, located in East Harlem. The museum’s renovation includes new galleries and improved facilities for showcasing Latin American and Caribbean art.

Museum of Arts and Design

Expanded in 2018, located in Columbus Circle. The renovation includes new galleries and improved facilities for displaying contemporary art and design.

Museum of Broadway

Opened in 2022, located in Times Square. This museum offers interactive exhibits and memorabilia that explore the history and impact of Broadway theatre.

Museum of Chinese in America

Expanded in 2019, located in Chinatown. The expansion includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities, focusing on the history and culture of Chinese Americans.

Museum of the City of New York

Expanded in 2018, located in East Harlem. The expansion includes new galleries and interactive exhibits that explore the history and future of New York City.

Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts

Expanded in 2020, located in Brooklyn. The expansion includes new gallery spaces and educational facilities, focusing on contemporary art and culture from the African Diaspora.

Museum of the Dog

Opened in 2019, located in Midtown Manhattan. This museum celebrates the bond between humans and dogs with exhibits on the history, art, and science of canines.

Museum of Food and Drink

Opened in 2015, located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. This museum explores the history and culture of food and drink through interactive exhibits and culinary programs.

Museum of Illusions

Opened in 2018, located in the Meatpacking District. This interactive museum offers a variety of optical illusions, holograms, and immersive exhibits that challenge perception and reality.

Museum of Modern Art

At The Museum of Modern Art and MoMA PS1, we celebrate creativity, openness, tolerance, and generosity. We aim to be inclusive places—both onsite and online—where diverse cultural, artistic, social, and political positions are welcome. We’re committed to sharing the most thought-provoking modern and contemporary art, and we hope you will join us in exploring the art, ideas, and issues of our time.

Museum of the Moving Image

Expanded in 2017, located in Astoria, Queens. The expansion includes new galleries and improved facilities for showcasing film, television, and digital media.

Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space

Located in the East Village, MoRUS showcases grassroots efforts in preserving New York City’s history of activism, squatting, and urban gardening through interactive exhibits and guided tours.

National Lighthouse Museum

Opened in 2015, located on Staten Island. The museum offers exhibits on the history of lighthouses and their role in maritime navigation.

National Museum of the American Indian – New York

Expanded in 2019, located in the Financial District. The expansion includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities for showcasing Native American art and culture.

National Museum of Mathematics

Opened in 2012, located in the Flatiron District. This interactive museum offers exhibits and programs that make mathematics fun and accessible to people of all ages.

New Museum

Expanded in 2019, located in the Lower East Side. The expansion includes new galleries and public spaces, enhancing its ability to showcase contemporary art.

New York Botanical Garden

Opened in 2018, located in the Bronx. This educational facility focuses on gardening, cooking, and nutrition, offering interactive exhibits and programs for visitors.

New York Historical Society

Expanded in 2021, located on the Upper West Side. The expansion includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities, focusing on American history and culture.

NYHS Center for Women’s History

Opened in 2017, located on the Upper West Side. This center within the New-York Historical Society is dedicated to women’s history, featuring exhibitions and public programs.

NYHS American LGBTQ+ Museum

The American LGBTQ+ Museum is a new collaboration dedicated to preserving, researching, and sharing LGBTQ+ history and culture.

New York Transit Museum

Expanded in 2014, located in Downtown Brooklyn. The museum showcases the history of New York City’s public transportation system, with interactive exhibits and vintage subway cars.

Noguchi Museum

Expanded in 2016, located in Long Island City, Queens. The expansion includes new exhibition spaces and improved facilities for displaying the works of sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

Poster House

Opened in 2019, located in Chelsea. The first museum in the United States dedicated to poster art, featuring exhibitions that explore the history and impact of this visual medium.

Queens Museum

Expanded in 2013, located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The expansion includes new galleries and public spaces for exhibitions on art, culture, and history.

Rubin Museum of Art

Expanded in 2019, located in Chelsea. The expansion includes new exhibition spaces and educational facilities, focusing on art from the Himalayas and surrounding regions.

Skyscraper Museum

Expanded in 2013, located in Battery Park City. The renovation includes new galleries and educational programs focused on the history and design of skyscrapers.

Tenement Museum

Expanded in 2017, located in the Lower East Side. The expansion includes new exhibits and public programs that explore the history of immigration and urban life in New York City.

Ukrainian Museum

Expanded in 2005, located in the East Village. The museum features exhibitions on Ukrainian art, history, and culture, providing a comprehensive view of the Ukrainian-American experience.

Whitney Museum of American Art

Reopened in 2015, located in the Meatpacking District. The new building, designed by Renzo Piano, provides 50,000 square feet of indoor gallery space and an additional 13,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space.

The new and newly expanded museums reflect New York City’s ever-evolving cultural landscape. They offer fresh perspectives and experiences for locals and visitors alike. Whether you’re interested in art, history, science, or niche topics, NYC’s museums have something for everyone.