The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute has unveiled its new 12,000-square-foot Condé M. Nast Galleries, named for the founder of Architectural Digest's parent company. Designed by the architecture firm Peterson Rich Office (PRO), the five-room exhibition space was carved from a former interior courtyard and gift shop, revealing historic brick and masonry facades that highlight the museum's architectural evolution. The galleries debuted alongside the exhibition "Costume Art," which explores the significance of dressed human form in fashion and fine art, curated by Andrew Bolton and celebrated at the Met Gala on May 4, 2026.
This opening matters because it significantly expands the Costume Institute's physical footprint within the Met, allowing for more ambitious and integrated fashion exhibitions that bridge historic architecture with contemporary design. The project underscores the growing institutional recognition of fashion as a serious art form, while also showcasing how adaptive reuse of museum spaces can reveal layers of architectural history. The involvement of high-profile fashion names like Thom Browne and Michael Kors in the gallery names further cements the intersection of luxury fashion, philanthropy, and museum culture.