What’s New? Everything.

The Studio Museum in Harlem (SMH), founded in 1968, has long served as a center for the collection, presentation, and interpretation of art by artists of African descent. More than a gallery, it functions as a cultural hub, nurturing emerging talent, documenting artistic histories, and engaging the public through exhibitions, educational programs, and community initiatives. Its work extends beyond the walls of Harlem, influencing the national and global understanding of Black art and culture.

The museum has now entered a new chapter—one literally built from the ground up. For the first time in its history, it occupies a space designed specifically for its program rather than retrofitted from an older building.

A seven‑story structure, covering approximately 82,000 square feet, will open to the public on Saturday, November 15, 2025. The new facility more than doubles exhibition space, features state‑of‑the‑art galleries, flexible program areas, dedicated classrooms, expanded public spaces, and a rooftop terrace.

Beyond architecture, the new home advances the museum’s mission. The inaugural season includes a comprehensive retrospective of Tom Lloyd, whose solo exhibition inaugurated SMH in 1968, alongside a broad survey drawn from the permanent collection spanning two centuries of art by artists of African descent.

A Shared Moment

The reopening of the Studio Museum is more than a local event in Harlem—it resonates across cultural institutions nationally. For our own Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum, this milestone underscores a familiar conviction: African‑American art and history deserve dedicated, purpose‑built spaces—places designed not only to display art, but to sustain it, educate around it, and deepen its roots in communities.

If you find yourself in New York City, we encourage you to visit the new Studio Museum in Harlem. Its presence enriches all of us.

Here in Northeast Louisiana, we continue our work rooted in the Delta, but let this moment inspire us: a reminder of the strength of our heritage and the ongoing need to preserve and celebrate our rich cultural legacy right here at home.

Congratulations to our colleagues at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Welcome back.

Visit the Studio Museum in Harlem
144 West 125th Street, New York, NY
Check their website for hours and details.

Visit the Northeast Louisiana Delta African American Heritage Museum
Where we preserve, interpret, and celebrate African American life in the Delta—and its global connections.