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Consider it the second Harlem renaissance. On New York City's 125th Street, where a statue of civil rights leader Adam Clayton Powell Jr stride forward, the area is filled with energy and excitement.

A Community in Transformation

The renowned Apollo Theatre is in the middle of major renovations. Another cultural institution is preparing to move into an $80 million cultural center covering a entire block. Meanwhile, the National Urban League recently unveiled a $250 million facility containing its main offices, low-income residences and retail space.

“This building says to the globe: Harlem is important; Black art matters; Black institutions matter,” remarked the chairman of the board of trustees. “It will serve as a beacon on 125th Street, a space where art and people meet.”

Historical Roots

This institution was established by creators, activists, donors and local residents to address the systemic exclusion of Black artists from mainstream institutions. Its debut in a rented loft above an off-licence in the late 1960s, a traumatic year of political murders, uprisings and social change.

“This occasion resembles what it must have felt like when it all began,” noted a institutional representative. “The institution emerged in a time of change. The country was divided. People were marching. Artists were demanding to be seen and heard.”

Building Design

The recently completed $160M facility spans 82,000 sq ft across seven floors. Created by architectural firms, the museum constitutes the first custom-designed space for the institution and almost doubles its exhibition and programme space.

The facility includes exhibition spaces, an large entrance hall, flexible programme spaces, a dedicated education workshop, a cafe and shop, plus a open-air deck with sweeping urban vistas. An impressive staircase, finished with terrazzo, occupies the main atrium space.

Collection Highlights

The opening exhibition schedule reflects the institution's history and aspirations with several key shows. A particular display features the initial comprehensive retrospective of pioneering artist an electronic art pioneer, whose electronic light sculptures appeared in the institution's first show.

• An artist's late 1960s musical tribute pays respect to John Coltrane
• Another prominent artist's Silence Is Golden addresses invisibility and African American portrayal
• Jean-Michel Basquiat's significant painting features vigorous marks and mixed media elements
• The celebrated artist's initial narrative textile captures her neighborhood in both joyful and elegiac tones

Broader Impact

The museum's arrival feels especially meaningful during a period when diversity initiatives, cultural institutions and the way Black history is presented face growing challenges. New York has just chosen a leader who embodies the city's cultural diversity, and Harlem has a special ability for making renaissance resemble defiance.

“Harlem has always been evolving,” observed a senior leader. “This is a neighbourhood that has been evolving since it was established. But this area has also been a neighbourhood where Black culture has thrived.”

The museum celebrates its significant residency program with an alumni show including prominent figures such as contemporary portraitist, mixed-media artist and conceptual painter. The exhibition combines recently created works with historical pieces spanning various periods.

Continuing Mission

Including new commissions are sonic installations and sculptural pieces. Metal containers created by sculptor Houston Conwill contain confidential testaments by prominent African American figures, originally buried in the museum's sculpture garden in the mid-1980s and now exhibited with plans to be opened in September 2034.

Visitors can explore an archival presentation of photographs and ephemera documenting the museum's history through its exhibitions, events and programmes over nearly six decades. This rich history includes notable occasions ranging from royal visits to local presentations that collectively demonstrate the museum's lasting influence.