A Charming Exploration of The Rockefeller Wing's Rebirth at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) has reopened its Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, following a $70 million renovation that spans 40,000 square feet. Led by WHY Architecture and Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, the redesign aims to create a more welcoming and empathetic space for visitors to engage deeply with the artworks from different cultures around the world.
The Rockefeller Wing, which first opened in 1982, houses important cultural artifacts from Africa, Oceania, and the Ancient Americas. The renovated wing reopened in late May 2025, featuring a reimagined presentation of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Ancient Americas.
The Arts of Africa galleries reopened with a new installation showcasing about 500 works spanning from the Middle Ages to the present. The installation highlights individual artists and their biographies, a significant shift towards recognizing authorship and artistic lineage across sub-Saharan Africa. The collection covers a wide range of media including wood sculpture, textiles, and photography from across the continent.
Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture reassembled the organization of the galleries to provide a sanctuary for vulnerable objects. The galleries within the Rockefeller Wing aim to reimagine how we interact with cultures across the globe, displaying their similarities and differences. Many artifacts in the galleries have functional use, with cultural input from the nature of the continent. For instance, a feline-shaped bottle and a moving snake labret are part of the collection.
The Arts of Africa gallery features stately, typically wooden, figures representing Bambara culture and traditions, creating intriguing parallels with Greek and Roman figures. The South Seas Ceremonial House Ceiling, a sacred artwork to the Kwoma people, has been limited to 170 panels displayed, with key representatives from the Kwoma people advocating for this change.
The Met's curators have dedicated themselves to researching the background of exhibition pieces to represent cultures' histories accurately. The Rockefeller Wing is a formidable example of how museums today can set an example in becoming more inclusive regarding the communities and cultures they exhibit. The reinterpreted vision of the Arts of Africa and the Arts of the Ancient Americas are now on display in the Rockefeller Wing.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Michael C. Rockefeller Wing continues to celebrate the Rockefeller family's extensive collection of non-Western art, ensuring that their legacy continues to enrich The Met's global arts narrative. The wing's renovation marks a significant moment in the wing's history, reaffirming its commitment to cultural sensitivity and accurate representation.
- The new installation within the Arts of Africa galleries demonstrates a significant shift in the approach to cultural artifacts, focusing on recognizing individual artists and their biographies."
- The Rockefeller Wing's reopening marks a new chapter in the history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, aiming to create a more welcoming space for visitors to engage with world cultures through literature, such as the biographies of artists."
- The reinterpreted vision of the Arts of Africa and the Arts of the Ancient Americas, displayed in the renovated Rockefeller Wing, provides insights into home-and-garden practices, as some artifacts have functional use and cultural significance from their home continent."
