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Call it the Harlem cultural resurgence. On New York City's 125th St, where a statue of civil rights leader Adam Clayton Powell Jr marches forward, the atmosphere is buzzing with energy and excitement.

A Community in Transformation

The famous Apollo Theater is in the middle of major renovations. The National Black Theatre is preparing to move into an $80 million cultural center covering a city block. Additionally, the National Urban League recently opened a $250 million building containing its main offices, low-income residences and commercial areas.

“This structure declares to the globe: Harlem is important; Black art matters; Black institutions matter,” remarked the chairman of the board of trustees. “It will stand as a beacon on this historic street, a place where art and people converge.”

Historical Roots

This institution was established by artists, advocates, philanthropists and community members to address the widespread omission of African American artists from established museums. It opened in a leased space above an liquor store in 1968, a traumatic year of assassinations, protests and social change.

“This occasion resembles what it must have felt like when it all began,” noted a museum leader. “The institution emerged in a world of flux. The country was divided. Citizens were protesting. Creators were insisting to be recognized.”

Architectural Vision

The recently completed $160M structure spans 82,000 sq ft across seven levels. Designed by architectural firms, the museum represents the first purpose-built home for the museum and nearly doubles its exhibition and programme space.

The facility includes galleries, an large entrance hall, adaptable event areas, a specialized learning studio, a cafe and retail store, plus a rooftop terrace with sweeping urban vistas. A monumental stair, clad in terrazzo, occupies the main atrium space.

Notable Artworks

The opening programming showcases the museum's past, present and future with four major exhibitions. A particular display features the first institutional career survey of innovative creator an electronic art pioneer, whose electronic light sculptures appeared in the museum's inaugural 1968 exhibition.

• An artist's late 1960s Trane pays respect to jazz legend
• Kerry James Marshall's Silence Is Golden confronts invisibility and Black representation
• Jean-Michel Basquiat's Bayou features vigorous marks and fragments of collage
• Faith Ringgold's first story quilt captures her neighborhood in both joyful and mournful tones

Broader Impact

The institution's opening feels particularly significant during a period when inclusion programs, museums and the way African American history is told face increased scrutiny. New York has recently elected a leader who personifies the city's cultural diversity, and this neighborhood has a particular talent for making cultural revival resemble resistance.

“This community has constantly transformed,” observed a senior leader. “This is a neighbourhood that has been evolving since it was founded. But this area has also been a community where African American culture has flourished.”

The museum celebrates its influential residency program with an alumni show including prominent figures such as contemporary portraitist, Mickalene Thomas and conceptual painter. The exhibition combines recently created works with older artworks spanning multiple decades.

Continuing Mission

Including recent acquisitions are sound-based works and three-dimensional artworks. Seven bronze time capsules created by artist Houston Conwill contain private statements by prominent African American figures, originally buried in the museum's sculpture garden in 1984 and now exhibited with plans to be opened in September 2034.

Guests can explore an archival presentation of photographs and memorabilia documenting the museum's history through its exhibitions, events and programmes over almost sixty years. This rich history includes memorable moments ranging from dignitary appearances to local presentations that together demonstrate the institution's enduring impact.