At the beginning of the month, the New-York Historical Society announced that it will be expanding with a new addition on an empty lot behind the current headquarters. The approximately 70,000 square foot expansion will include a permanent home for the American LGBTQ+ Museum.
The new museum will be New York’s first museum dedicated to LGBTQ history and culture. The American LGBTQ+ Museum formed in 2017 with the mission of preserving, investigating, and celebrating the histories of LGBTQ+ people. In 2019, the organization began its partnership with the New-York Historical Society. The museum will occupy the fourth floor of the expansion and consist of two galleries, as well as access to the roof garden. While construction is underway, the American LGBTQ+ Museum will work with the historical society to develop programming for its current building.
In a press release, Chair of the Board of Directors of the American LGBTQ+ Museum Richard Burns described collaborating with the New-York Historical Society. “We’re delighted to partner with New York’s foremost museum of history to build a new museum dedicated to an exploration and celebration of the richness and diversity of LGBTQ+ history and culture in America. The respect and rigor with which New-York Historical has approached this process, including their consultation with local communities, mirrors our own 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 cherished, deeply-respected, and growing New York City landmark,” Burns said.
The historical society expansion will also include new classrooms to host graduate students from New-York Historical’s Master of Arts in Museum Studies program, as well as more galleries and exhibition space.