Metropolitan Museum breaks ground on long-awaited new wing for Modern and contemporary art

On Tuesday, September 15th, the Metropolitan Museum of Art welcomed the groundbreaking of its new wing dedicated to Modern and Contemporary Art. This five-story, 126,000-square-foot space will be designed by architect Frida Escobedo and is set to open in 2030. The Met has raised $670 million for the construction and operation of the wing, which is named after financier Oscar Tang and his wife, Agnes Hsu-Tang, the largest individual donation in the museum’s history.

During the event, museum CEO and director Max Hollein emphasized that the Tang Wing represents a new way of engaging with art in dialogue with the rest of the Met's collections. He highlighted that this wing is the first designed by a woman to be added to the museum's history. The design was created to enhance the museum's connection to Central Park and its surrounding neighborhood.

Oscar Tang, along with other local and state politicians, spoke about their pride in being part of the Met's history and how the new wing will better connect the museum to its surroundings. The Met has also allocated significant philanthropic contributions to other arts organizations, including $40 million for the New York Philharmonic and $20 million for the New York Historical's new democracy wing.

Frida Escobedo, the architect behind the Tang Wing, emphasized that it is the most ambitious project her studio has ever undertaken. She also highlighted the design challenges she and her team faced, which provided opportunities for creating diverse gallery spaces both intimate and grand, connected to the exterior of the museum.

The event concluded with a performance by Swinomish/Iñupiaq singer-songwriter Black Belt Eagle Scout, whose song explored themes of belonging, an appropriate reflection of the new facility's commitment to bringing art and science-based material exploration to the museum's youngest patrons.