The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Michael C. Rockefeller Wing reopened in May 2025 after a multiyear renovation, presenting reimagined galleries for the arts of Africa, the ancient Americas, and Oceania. The 40,000-square-foot space, designed by Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture, now houses the three collections as independent entities, featuring digital features, commissioned films, new wall text, and objects on view for the first time—including major acquisitions of historic and contemporary works, a gallery for light-sensitive ancient Andean textiles, and contemporary commissions by Indigenous Pacific artists.
The reopening matters because it represents a significant expansion and deepening of the Met's presentation of global art history, informed by the latest research and international expert exchanges. Originally opened in 1982 as a radical broadening of the museum's cultural scope, the renovated wing responds to advances in art historical studies and contemporary dialogues around Indigenous representation, offering visitors a more contextualized and inclusive view of art from five continents and hundreds of cultures.