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Get ready, lovers of the Brooklyn Museum: change is coming.
The institution announced plans for a sweeping renovation of its Arts of Africa galleries. The $13 million project will convert 6,400 square feet of previously underused space on the third floor into a permanent home for the renowned collection, one of the largest in the country. Expected to open in the fall of 2027, the new galleries will exhibit more than 300 works, spanning antiquity to the present.
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But beyond the new space, the exhibit itself will be presented in a fresh way. Now, the installation is of a piece with the Egyptian art galleries, offering a more rounded, fuller look at what Africa’s rich artistic legacy encompasses.
“This is more than a new collection gallery—it’s a bold reframing of how African art is understood and celebrated in American museums,” said Anne Pasternak, Shelby White and Leon Levy Director, Brooklyn Museum, in a statement. “At the same time, this renovation is a major step in our larger vision to revitalize the entire Museum, creating spaces that will allow us to continue to entice and engage a breadth of audiences with distinctive art experiences. Ultimately, this transformation strengthens our role as a civic and cultural anchor in Brooklyn—deepening our relationship with our community and expanding what a museum can be for the public we serve.”
The redesign is led by Brooklyn-based firm Peterson Rich Office, with preservation consultation from Beyer Blinder Belle. Rather than disguising the necessary modern touches that the gallery will need (things like lighting and climate control), they will be highlighted as decor. All new metal elements will be painted in "rich accent colors" to create a visible contrast between old and new.
The project is part of the museum's ongoing effort to modernize, from upgrading infrastructure to the 2016 renovation of the Great Hall. Founded in the 19th century, the Brooklyn Museum was among the first U.S. institutions to collect African art, with holdings that now span roughly 4,500 objects and 2,500 years of history. And soon, visitors can at last see how the art of the entire continent connects and reflects over the centuries.
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