New York, city's oldest museum will house home to first LGBTQ+ museum

The New York Historical Society, one of New York City’s leading museums devoted entirely to American history (as well as the city’s oldest museum, founded in 1804), has announced that a 6,500-square-foot addition will be added to the institute’s Central Park West headquarters, which will also house the city’s first museum dedicated to the history of LGBTQ+ culture, theAmerican LGBTQ+ Museum. The design of the expansion, which bears the signature of Robert A.M. Stern Architects, was unanimously approved by the society’s board and has been praised by the Landmarks Preservation Commission for its respect for the past and its contribution to the community, as it will serve to provide the New York Historical Society with new rooms, galleries, study areas, and also a facility will provide New-York Historical with additional classrooms, galleries, collection study areas, and additional storage for the Patricia D. Klingenstein Library, the institution’s library.

While waiting to see the expansion ready (the first phase of work will begin in 2022 and will focus on the library’s storage areas, while the second phase will cover the upper floors, which will house the galleries and new classrooms), the American LGBTQ+ Museum will collaborate with the New York Historical Society to develop programming in the Museum’s existing building and outdoor spaces, bringing the voices, perspectives, actions, and achievements of this community to the forefront, with the goal of conveying it to visitors and students. When the expansion is completed, the American LGBTQ+ Museum will occupy the entire fourth floor and will include two galleries, a roof garden, and office and storage areas.

The American LGBTQ+ Museum aims to preserve, investigate and celebrate the histories and cultures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, as well as those of emerging identities. Through exhibitions and programs (and, when ready, through its physical location), the institute seeks to promote LGBTQ+ equality through the lens of social justice movements, including race, gender, class, immigration and disability. The American LGBTQ+ Museum envisions a world in which all people work and experience the joy of liberation. “We believe it is time to tell the story of LGBTQ+ people,” says the museum, “commemorating and celebrating our journey and inspiring pride. Our mission is to preserve, investigate and celebrate the dynamic histories and cultures of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, and to promote LGBTQ+ equality through our exhibitions and programming.”

The addition of classrooms will then allow for a significant expansion of the service the New York Historical Society renders to tens of thousands of New York City public school students. These classrooms will serve the Academy for American Democracy program, an educational initiative for sixth-grade students in New York City that is transforming the way history and civics are taught in middle school. New galleries and study areas will host students in the New York Historical Society’s Museum Studies program, launched in 2019 through a partnership with the School of Professional Studies at the City University of New York. The program aims to diversify New York’s cultural workforce by providing students with the knowledge, skills and preparation to excel as professionals in the museum community.

The statements

“With great foresight,” says Louise Mirrer, president and CEO of the New York Historical Society, “our trustees made a commitment in 1937 to purchase the lot adjacent to the New York Historical Society building, knowing that the growth of our collections and programs for scholars, students, educators and the public would one day need space to expand. Now that day has come, and it is gratifying to realize the dream of telling American history in all its complexity within state-of-the-art educational spaces and in a brand new gallery dedicated to the civil rights struggle of the American LGBTQ+ community. Thanks to a generous gift from our longest-serving trustee, Patricia D. Klingenstein, our iblibrary’s priceless collection will now be housed in pristine condition within the new building. We are extremely grateful to the Council of the City of New York, the Mayor’s Office, the State of New York and I LOVE NY for their encouragement and generous funding that will allow us to move forward with the work expeditiously, as well as to Robert A.M. Stern Architects for the firm’s extraordinary skill and sensitivity.”

“We are delighted to partner with New York’s premier history museum to build a new museum dedicated to exploring and celebrating the richness and diversity of LGBTQ+ history and culture in America,” says Richard Burns, chairman of the board of the American LGBTQ+ Museum. “The respect and rigor with which the New York Historical Society has approached this process, including consultation with local communities, reflects our commitment to building a thoughtful, welcoming, queer and inclusive experience for our visitors and partners. We look forward to bringing a dynamic new museum to life within this beloved, deeply respected and growing landmark.”

“It has been a privilege to work with the New York Historical Society to design an expansion of its historic building, enabling it to extend its broad and vital mission to a growing audience, ranging from local students to international visitors,” says Robert A.M. Stern, founder and senior partner of Robert A.M. Stern Architects (leading the design team, along with Stern, are partners Graham S. Wyatt and Preston J. Gumberich and senior associate Kim S. Yap). “With input from the neighbors, who have been very cooperative, and in continuity with the adjoining buildings, the design of the extension is in keeping with the palette and rhythm of the 1908 building and its 1938 additions.”

The project is funded through public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer and support from the Board of Trustees of the New York Historical Society. Additional support is provided by Market New York through I LOVE NY/New York State Division of Tourism as part of the Regional Economic Development Council initiative.

Pictured: a rendering of the New York Historical Society’s expansion.

New York, city's oldest museum will house home to first LGBTQ+ museum

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