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Consider it the new Harlem rebirth. On Manhattan's 125th St, where a sculpture of Adam Clayton Powell Jr marches onwards and upwards, the atmosphere is filled with energy and excitement.

A Neighborhood in Renewal

The celebrated Apollo Theatre is in the middle of major renovations. Another cultural institution is set to relocate into an $80M arts complex spanning a city block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently opened a $250M building containing its headquarters, affordable housing and retail space.

“This building says to the globe: Harlem is important; Black art matters; Black institutions are crucial,” stated the leader of the board of trustees. “It will serve as a beacon on 125th Street, a place where art and people converge.”

Historical Roots

This institution was established by creators, activists, philanthropists and local residents to address the systemic exclusion of African American artists from established museums. Its debut in a leased space above an liquor store in the late 1960s, a traumatic year of assassinations, protests and social change.

“This occasion resembles what it must have been like when it all began,” reflected a museum leader. “The museum was born in a time of change. Nation was split. Citizens were protesting. Creators were insisting to be recognized.”

Building Design

The new $160M facility spans 82,000 sq ft across seven floors. Designed by architectural firms, the museum constitutes the first purpose-built home for the museum and nearly doubles its exhibition and programme space.

The facility includes galleries, an expansive lobby, adaptable event areas, a dedicated education workshop, a coffee shop and retail store, plus a open-air deck with panoramic city views. An impressive staircase, clad in terrazzo, occupies the central vertical gallery.

Collection Highlights

The inaugural programming showcases the institution's history and aspirations with four major exhibitions. One exhibition features the initial comprehensive retrospective of innovative creator Tom Lloyd, whose electronic light sculptures appeared in the museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition.

• An artist's 1969 abstract musical tribute pays homage to jazz legend
• Kerry James Marshall's Silence Is Golden confronts invisibility and African American portrayal
• Jean-Michel Basquiat's significant painting features bold strokes and fragments of collage
• Faith Ringgold's first story quilt captures her community in both celebratory and mournful tones

Broader Impact

The museum's arrival feels particularly significant during a time when diversity initiatives, museums and the way Black history is told face growing challenges. New York has just chosen a leader who embodies the city's cultural diversity, and this neighborhood has a particular talent for making cultural revival resemble resistance.

“Harlem has always been evolving,” commented a senior leader. “This is a neighbourhood that has been changing since it was founded. But this area has also been a community where Black culture has thrived.”

This institution celebrates its influential residency program with an former residents exhibition including notable names such as contemporary portraitist, mixed-media artist and Titus Kaphar. The display combines recently created works with older artworks spanning multiple decades.

Continuing Mission

Including new commissions are sound-based works and three-dimensional artworks. Metal containers created by artist Houston Conwill contain confidential testaments by seven distinguished Black Americans, originally interred in the institution's outdoor space in 1984 and now exhibited with plans to be unveiled in the year 2034.

Guests can explore an archival presentation of photographs and memorabilia documenting the institution's journey through its shows, programs and activities over almost sixty years. This extensive legacy includes memorable moments ranging from royal visits to local presentations that together demonstrate the institution's enduring impact.