NEW YORK CITY AWARDS $26.4 MILLION TO COMPLETE QUEENS MUSEUM EXPANSION

 

Expansion Includes Construction of a New Children’s Museum Space, Space for Collections and Staff, and Energy-Efficiency Upgrades

 Mayor de Blasio, the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, City Council, and Queens Borough President’s Office have announced that New York City has allocated $26.4 million to complete the Queens Museum’s expansion project. The expansion will create a dedicated children’s museum space focused on art and culture in Queens, expand the museum’s classrooms, provide secure artwork storage, and improve the facility’s energy efficiency. Together, the improvements will cement Queens Museum’s role as a world class museum and community anchor in the heart of New York’s most diverse borough. 

“The Queens Museum is a world-class institution, and this funding will help them grow and develop their footprint in Queens and throughout the city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Arts and culture are not just the key to our recovery from COVID-19 – they are the key to nurturing the talent, curiosity, and creativity that will keep New York City the most vibrant city in the world.”

“Queens Museum is an integral part of the communities it serves, a home for amazing arts programming, education, and important civic services – relationships they used to support their neighbors throughout the pandemic,” said NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Gonzalo Casals. “We’re thrilled to make a major investment in this exciting project, which will expand Queens Museum’s ability to connect with and serve audiences, with new space for children’s programming, storage, and energy sustainability upgrades.”    

 

In November 2013, the Queens Museum completed the first phase of its expansion project, bringing an additional 50,000 square feet of galleries, event spaces, educational areas, and visitor amenities, as well as site work and facilities systems upgrades. The second and final phase consists of five distinct elements:

• The creation of first floor and second floor educational classroom/workshop areas;
• A 5,500 square foot intergenerational, multilingual Family Art Lab;
• A 2,600 square foot art storage vault; 
• A reconstruction of the southern wall and window system; and
• Construction of back of house spaces including offices, exhibition prep spaces, an artwork conservation/study area.  

 

Additionally, the project includes the installation of a full-height glass wall system on the mezzanine level and the upgrade of HVAC system. 

 

“New York City’s most diverse borough deserves a world class museum, and the New York City Council is proud to support this expansion with $3 million in FY2022 to make that a reality. This expansion will allow the Queens Museum to make wise investments so it can best serve the community for decades to come: expanding its ability to engage kids and students, allowing it to secure and safely store its growing collections, and improving the energy efficiency of its facilities,” said City Council Speaker Corey Johnson.