The Met Reopens the Iconic Rockefeller Wing After 4-Year Renovation

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has officially unveiled its fully reimagined Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. Following a massive four-year transformation, the 40,000-square-foot space now offers a modern, deeply respectful showcase for 1,800 artworks spanning Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania.

To celebrate, the museum is hosting a daylong festival on Saturday, May 31 featuring live music, performances, and art-making workshops. The festival is free with museum admission, which remains pay-what-you-wish for New York State residents.

A Groundbreaking Architectural Vision

Designed by WHY Architecture alongside Beyer Blinder Belle, the new wing moves away from outdated displays. Instead, the architecture incorporates design elements that honor each region’s cultural heritage.

Visitors will immediately notice a brighter atmosphere, highlighted by a sloped glass wall looking out over Central Park. The entrance features a dramatic, curved ceiling arching over towering ancestor poles carved by West Papuan artists.

What’s New Inside the Galleries

The redesign introduces contemporary storytelling tools, including documentary films, artist biographies, audio guides, and transparent signage detailing the ownership history (provenance) of the artifacts.

Gallery Highlights & Unique Features

Arts of Africa Features 500 sub-Saharan pieces from the Middle Ages to today. Includes a 12th-century clay figure from Mali and a modern fiber installation by Abdoulaye Konaté. A quarter of these works are on display for the first time.

Arts of the Ancient Americas Houses 700 pre-1600 Indigenous works, including gold regalia, stone carvings, and ceramics. Features a first-of-its-kind U.S. gallery dedicated exclusively to light-sensitive ancient textiles.

Arts of Oceania Showcases 650 pieces representing 140 distinct island cultures. This section includes new commissions by Indigenous creators and expands its focus to highlight fiber art made by women artists from Australia and New Guinea.