An augmented reality (AR) experience is reviving Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s iconic 2005 installation *The Gates* in New York’s Central Park. Starting in February 2025, visitors can use the Bloomberg Connects app to view virtual saffron-colored fabric panels suspended over 23 miles of park pathways, recreating the original work that featured 7,503 panels on metal arches. The project is a collaboration between the Christo and Jeanne-Claude Foundation, the New York City Parks Department, the Central Park Conservancy, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, with support from former Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The Shed is concurrently hosting an exhibition documenting the project’s history, including original arches and a scale-model diorama.
The revival matters because it introduces a landmark public art project to a new generation—many of whom were not alive when *The Gates* debuted in 2005—while honoring the artists’ wish that their work never be physically rebuilt. The original installation drew millions, generated $254 million in economic activity, and set a precedent for privately funded monumental public art. The AR experience also demonstrates how technology can extend the life and accessibility of ephemeral artworks, adapting to real-time weather conditions and allowing ongoing engagement with a historic piece of New York City’s cultural landscape.