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Consider it the new Harlem rebirth. On New York City's 125th Street, where a sculpture of civil rights leader Adam Clayton Powell Jr stride forward, the atmosphere is buzzing with bustle and buzz.

A Community in Renewal

The renowned Apollo Theatre is in the middle of significant upgrades. The National Black Theatre is set to relocate into an $80M cultural center spanning a city block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently unveiled a $250 million building containing its headquarters, affordable housing and retail space.

“This building says to the globe: Harlem is important; Black art is significant; Black institutions are crucial,” stated the chairman of the board of trustees. “It will serve as a lighthouse on this historic street, a place where creativity and community meet.”

Historical Foundation

This institution was established by creators, activists, philanthropists and community members to address the systemic exclusion of Black artists from mainstream institutions. It opened in a leased space over an liquor store in the late 1960s, a traumatic year of assassinations, protests and social change.

“This occasion resembles what it must have felt like when it all started,” reflected a institutional representative. “The museum was born in a time of change. The country was divided. Citizens were protesting. Artists were demanding to be seen and heard.”

Architectural Vision

The recently completed $160 million facility spans 82,000 sq ft across seven levels. Designed by architectural firms, the building constitutes the first custom-designed home for the museum and nearly doubles its gallery and activity areas.

The facility includes galleries, an expansive lobby, adaptable event areas, a dedicated education workshop, a cafe and shop, plus a open-air deck with panoramic city views. A monumental stair, finished with terrazzo, fills the main atrium space.

Notable Artworks

The opening programming reflects the institution's history and aspirations with several key shows. One exhibition features the first institutional career survey of innovative creator an electronic art pioneer, whose electronic light sculptures appeared in the institution's first show.

• An artist's 1969 abstract Trane pays respect to John Coltrane
• Another prominent artist's Silence Is Golden confronts lack of representation and African American portrayal
• Jean-Michel Basquiat's significant painting features bold strokes and fragments of collage
• Faith Ringgold's initial narrative textile captures her neighborhood in both joyful and elegiac tones

Cultural Significance

The institution's opening feels particularly significant during a time when diversity initiatives, museums and the way Black history is told face growing challenges. New York has recently elected a mayor who personifies the city's cultural diversity, and this neighborhood has a special ability for making cultural revival resemble resistance.

“This community has constantly transformed,” observed a senior leader. “It's a district that has been changing since it was established. But Harlem has also been a community where Black culture has flourished.”

The museum celebrates its significant artist-in-residence programme with an former residents exhibition including prominent figures such as Kehinde Wiley, Mickalene Thomas and conceptual painter. The display combines recently created works with historical pieces spanning multiple decades.

Continuing Mission

Among recent acquisitions are sound-based works and sculptural pieces. Seven bronze time capsules created by artist Houston Conwill contain private statements by seven distinguished Black Americans, originally interred in the museum's sculpture garden in 1984 and now on display with plans to be unveiled in September 2034.

Guests can explore an archival presentation of images and ephemera documenting the museum's history through its shows, programs and activities over almost sixty years. This rich history includes memorable moments ranging from dignitary appearances to local presentations that together demonstrate the institution's enduring impact.