wHY’s redesign for the metropolitan museum of art
After four years behind closed doors, the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at New York‘s Metropolitan Museum of Art is set to reopen to the public. The redesign, led by Kulapat Yantrasast and his team at WHY Architecture, takes a subtle approach. There’s no dramatic reveal. Instead, the space feels more open, more navigable, and more attuned to the objects it holds.
The museum will celebrate the wing’s opening with a day-long, public festival on Saturday, May 31st, 2025. The space now houses The Met’s collections of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Ancient Americas in distinct galleries, each given room to unfold on its own terms. These collections have long shared a roof, but the new design avoids blending them together. The separation isn’t sharp, though. There’s a sense of proximity that encourages visitors to notice both difference and resonance.
At a preview of the new wing on May 28th, architect Kulapat Yantrasast says: ‘I’m grateful for the artists and artisans who opened my eyes and allowed me to have this deep love and empathy in me.’ The architect was tapped to lead the redesign at the end of 2018, nearly fifty years after the 1969 founding of the curatorial department which it houses.
Arts of Africa, Gallery 341, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer | all images © The Metropolitan Museum of Art
redefined galleries for the rockefeller wing
Rather than mimicking or recreating the architecture of the regions represented, the new wing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art gestures toward certain materials or structural rhythms. Each gallery of the museum‘s Michael C. Rockefeller wing has its own atmosphere. The result is more interpretive than literal, allowing the objects to stay at the center of attention.
Although getting lost in a museum is part of the experience, the previous layout could feel disjointed. With WHY Architecture’s redesign, the flow is clearer. The architects create longer sight-lines, smoother transitions between spaces, and a less fragmented experience overall. The layout nudges visitors gently from one area to the next without forcing a particular path.
Filtered daylight now enters the galleries through a newly installed glass wall along the south facade. It’s a careful move. The light is controlled to protect sensitive works, especially ancient textiles, but its presence softens the space. Central Park becomes a quiet, scenic backdrop rather than a distraction.
Arts of Oceania, Gallery 350, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
the met to throw a public reopening party
To mark the reopening, the museum will host a daylong celebration on Saturday, May 31st. It begins with a ribbon-cutting in the morning and continues through the afternoon with live performances, workshops, artist talks, and food across the museum and its plaza. The grand opening is an open invitation for New Yorkers and visitors to explore.
The festival includes demonstrations from contemporary artists whose work speaks to the collections on view. Mosaic artist Manny Vega will lead a workshop on the plaza. Meanwhile, artists Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez and Teokotā’i Paitai will demonstrate weaving techniques from Peru and Oceania, inviting participation rather than performance. These moments bring a sense of continuity between past and present.
Later in the day, architect Kulapat Yantrasast will join Met Director Max Hollein for a public conversation about the redesign. The duo will exchange ideas on how architecture can shape, and sometimes reshape, the way we engage with cultural history in a museum setting.
Arts of the Ancient Americas, Gallery 360, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
Arts of the Ancient Americas, Gallery 363, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
Mexica sculptures in Gallery 360, Arts of the Ancient Americas, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
Arts of Africa, Gallery 341, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
Bamana Jo sculptures in Gallery 341, Arts of Africa, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
Arts of the Ancient Americas, Gallery 360, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. photo by Bridgit Beyer
project info:
name: Michael C. Rockefeller Wing
architect: WHY Architecture | @why_site
location: The Metropolitan Museum of Art | @metmuseum
reopening: May 31st, 2025
photography: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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