The Bronx Museum of the Arts Has Kicked Off Its $33 Million Renovation Plans

The New York City Economic Development Corporation, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), together with Bronx elected officials and community stakeholders, broke ground yesterday (July 11) on the highly anticipated Bronx Museum of the Arts renovation, which will be supported by nearly $33 million in city funding with additional support from the state. The updates, scheduled to be complete in 2026, will be overseen by award-winning architecture and urban planning firm Marvel.

Among the changes are the reorientation of the main entrance toward the intersection of Grand Concourse and 165th Street and the unification of the Bronx Museum’s multiple buildings into a seamless and recognizable campus. In addition to creating a continuous gallery loop, the renovations will include the creation of large street-facing displays for rotating art installations, a spacious lobby with a seating area, additional space for exhibitions and a multistory entranceway that will expand the museum’s reach and experience to the sidewalk.

“The Bronx Museum is a cutting-edge cultural institution located in one of the most vibrant creative communities in the world, and this renovation will give it the facility it deserves to fulfill its mission of bringing artists and audiences together,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo in a statement.

Founded in 1971, the Bronx Museum was initially housed in the public rotunda of the Bronx County Courthouse on Grand Concourse and 161st Street, with satellite gallery spaces in Co-op City, Bedford Park and Allerton. In 1982, it moved five blocks north into its current location on 165th Street, occupying a former synagogue purchased and donated by the city. The museum’s first expansion and renovation was completed in 1988, and in 2004, a second expansion led by Arquitectonica and completed over two years doubled the museum’s size to 33,000 square feet. Today, the Bronx Museum of the Arts is the largest contemporary arts institution in New York City to offer free admission for all.

“This groundbreaking renovation of the Bronx Museum represents a significant milestone for our community, reinforcing the Bronx’s reputation as a cultural hub and providing an even more inclusive and accessible space for art and creativity,” New York State Senator Luis Sepulveda said in a statement.

The Bronx Museum just closed the second half of the latest edition of its AIM Biennial, “Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial,” which showcased the work of twenty-six emerging artists who completed the Museum’s annual AIM Fellowship program in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. The Bronx Museum of the Arts’ AIM program launched in 1980 and has since served more than 1,200 fellows, functioning as an important career accelerator for promising artists based in the five boroughs, and both the Biennial and the Fellowship are widely regarded by curators as one of the most important platforms for identifying new talent.