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Consider it the Harlem cultural resurgence. On Manhattan's 125th Street, where a sculpture of civil rights leader Adam Clayton Powell Jr marches forward, the area is filled with bustle and buzz.

A Neighborhood in Renewal

The famous Apollo Theater is undergoing significant upgrades. Another cultural institution is preparing to move into an $80 million cultural center spanning a city block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently opened a $250M building containing its main offices, low-income residences and commercial areas.

“This building says to the world: Harlem matters; Black art is significant; Black institutions are crucial,” stated the chairman of the board of trustees. “It will serve as a lighthouse on 125th Street, a place where creativity and community meet.”

Historical Roots

This institution was founded by creators, activists, philanthropists and community members to address the systemic exclusion of Black artists from mainstream institutions. It opened in a leased space above an liquor store in the late 1960s, a turbulent year of assassinations, uprisings and societal transformation.

“This occasion resembles what it must have been like when it all started,” noted a museum leader. “The museum was born in a world of flux. The country was divided. Citizens were protesting. Artists were demanding to be recognized.”

Architectural Vision

The new $160 million facility spans 82,000 sq ft across seven floors. Designed by architectural firms, the museum represents the first custom-designed space for the museum and nearly doubles its gallery and activity areas.

The building includes exhibition spaces, an large entrance hall, adaptable event areas, a dedicated education workshop, a cafe and shop, plus a open-air deck with sweeping urban vistas. An impressive staircase, finished with terrazzo, fills the central vertical gallery.

Collection Highlights

The inaugural exhibition schedule showcases the museum's past, present and future with four major exhibitions. One exhibition features the first institutional career survey of pioneering artist an electronic art pioneer, whose illuminated works appeared in the museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition.

• William T Williams's 1969 abstract musical tribute pays respect to John Coltrane
• Another prominent artist's Silence Is Golden confronts lack of representation and Black representation
• The renowned artist's Bayou features vigorous marks and fragments of collage
• The celebrated artist's first story quilt captures her community in both celebratory and mournful tones

Broader Impact

The institution's opening feels particularly significant during a period when inclusion programs, museums and the way African American history is presented face increased scrutiny. New York has just chosen a leader who embodies the metropolis's multicultural character, and this neighborhood has a particular talent for making renaissance resemble defiance.

“This community has constantly transformed,” observed a senior leader. “It's a district that has been evolving since it was founded. But this area has also been a community where African American culture has thrived.”

This institution celebrates its influential artist-in-residence programme with an alumni show including notable names such as contemporary portraitist, Mickalene Thomas and conceptual painter. The exhibition combines new commissions with historical pieces spanning multiple decades.

Future Legacy

Including new commissions are sound-based works and three-dimensional artworks. 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 exhibited with plans to be opened in the year 2034.

Guests can explore an archival presentation of photographs and ephemera documenting the museum's history through its shows, events and programmes over almost sixty years. This rich history includes memorable moments ranging from royal visits to community performances that together illustrate the museum's lasting influence.