The Studio Museum in Harlem will open its new building on Saturday, November 15, with a Community Day celebration, after being closed since 2018. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the 82,000-square-foot, seven-story structure features 14,000 square feet of exhibition space, expanded studios for its Artist-in-Residence program, and dedicated education areas. The reopening includes four exhibitions, two site-specific commissions, and reinstallations of iconic works, including a survey of Tom Lloyd, the subject of the museum's first exhibition in 1968. The museum has also updated its hours and admission policies, offering free entry on Sundays.
The reopening marks a major milestone for an institution that has been a vital advocate for artists of African descent for nearly 60 years, filling a gap in mainstream museum representation. Under director Thelma Golden's leadership since 2005, the Studio Museum has maintained its residency and programming through partnerships with MoMA and MoMA PS1 during its closure. The new building not only provides a permanent home for its collection of nearly 9,000 objects but also reinforces Harlem's cultural significance and the museum's role in shaping contemporary art discourse.