The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced the opening of the Condé M. Nast Galleries, a 12,000-square-foot exhibition space designed by the New York-based architecture firm Peterson Rich Office (PRO). The galleries, located adjacent to the museum's Great Hall, will be inaugurated in May 2026 by The Costume Institute's spring exhibition titled "Costume Art," which explores the dressed body by juxtaposing garments from the Institute's holdings with treasures from the museum's broader collections. The project is part of a larger renovation that also includes a redesign of the Fifth Avenue and 83rd Street entrance to improve visitor flow.
This development matters because it underscores The Met's commitment to expanding its physical infrastructure and elevating fashion as a legitimate art form within a major encyclopedic museum. The naming of the galleries after Condé M. Nast, supported by a leading gift from Condé Nast, reflects the growing intersection of fashion media and museum philanthropy. The commission also highlights the rising profile of Peterson Rich Office, a Brooklyn-based firm, in high-profile institutional projects, signaling a shift toward younger, independent architects in museum design.