Of the many museum renovation and expansion projects to be completed in New York this year, the Bronx Museum is among the most anticipated. Announced in the summer of 2024 and scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, the renovation is being overseen by award-winning architecture and urban planning firm Marvel and is supported by approximately $42.9 million in city funding, with additional support from the state. This investment underscores the role the museum has played in its community and the city’s broader cultural landscape since its founding in 1971 by a group of local community members rather than a single patron or private group, which immediately set the tone for its long-standing mission to represent diverse and underrepresented voices.
On Wednesday, April 15, the Museum hosted its 2026 Annual Gala and Art Auction at the Tribeca Rooftop, raising awareness to support diverse contemporary artists and engage audiences in the Bronx and beyond.
The gala honored contemporary artist Ole Erezcu — who will present an upcoming solo exhibition at the Bronx Museum of the Arts — with the Artistic Vision Award presented by rapper Ferg. Arts patron Louis Blaine received the Cultural Ambassador Award, presented by Michael McGuinness, while KidSuper founder Colm Dillane – designer, artist and creative force behind KidSuper Studios – was honored with the Innovator Award, presented by artist, actor and endorser Joey Bada$$.
Other notable guests at the black-tie event spanned the entertainment industry and art world, including Ella Emhoff, Louis Blaine, Antoine Sargent, Derek Adams, Mickalene Thomas, John Gray, Hanna Traoré, Larry Osei-Mensah, Terrell Hampton, Valerie Larko, Zoe Lokoff, Michael McGuinness, Gamaliel Rodriguez, Anne Craven, Julian Grannell, and gallery owners Sarah Arno. And Tara Downs. Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson was also present. The event was hosted by co-chairs Danielle Falls and Annie B. Taylor, along with artist Isaiah Davis.
Ahead of the ceremony, the Observer sat down with newly appointed Director and Chief Curator, Shamim Momin, to find out more about her vision for the organization as it moves to this next stage.
“The ongoing renovation will bring the facility and campus to a standard that reflects the world-class exhibitions, programs and support we want to provide to our community and to a wider audience, across the city and beyond,” says M. Momen told the Observer, stressing that, at the same time, she sees it as an opportunity to think about how to develop and clarify the museum’s mission.
The priorities are multiple, she explains, but all are rooted in the museum’s long-term mission. “The museum really has its own DNA, and how it was founded: unlike many museums, it was not created by a single patron, group, or funding source, but by people who felt that the museum world did not represent the diverse voices they cared about,” Momen says.
With over 25 years of experience in curatorial and leadership roles, Momin was drawn to accepting this leadership position at the Bronx Museum because it embodies many of the values she has consistently supported. “This mission, at its core, is a deep commitment to community and engagement,” she says. “I was not brought in to change the core of the institution, and I have no intention of doing so. The question is: How do we continue to represent voices that have historically been marginalized or excluded from dominant art historical and contemporary narratives?”
M points out Secured to the Bronx’s status as one of the most diverse boroughs in New York. “The communities here basically represent the entire world. And if you extrapolate from those cultures, you’re looking at conversations that are not just national, but global,” she says. She is most excited about how the museum has long been rooted in and responsive to its diverse community, while also engaging in broader conversations with New York’s cultural ecosystem, and beyond. “What I’m trying to do is articulate that narrative with greater clarity as we move toward the new building and define our future — for the town, the institution and the broader arts public.”
The Bronx Museum has successfully balanced its local focus with broader significance, with a history of theatrical exhibitions that highlight local artists and resonate across the broader art world. Momen also recalls how just a few years ago, the Bronx was viewed as a fringe, almost inaccessible area. “The Bronx was still referred to as an ‘outer borough’ – a term that now seems outdated. At the time, even Williamsburg felt inaccessible to collectors. It’s amazing how much can change in 20 years.” Today, she sees New York as a more interconnected city, with cultural activity distributed across multiple boroughs, although she admits there is still a perception that the Bronx is still difficult to get to. Changing that perception, or at least encouraging people to come, is part of the museum’s mission.
“I think the museum has really played an important role in cultural development,” she says, reflecting the institution’s history and its impact on local cultural growth and beyond. For her, this is also an opportunity for the Bronx Museum to reassert its existence after 50 years of meaningful work.
sheds m. Momin also highlights the museum’s commitment to accessibility. Notably, the Bronx Museum is one of the few museums in the city that offers completely free admission, along with extensive public programming. “Accessibility is central to our identity,” she says, noting how this extends to programs rooted in public engagement, youth education, community initiatives, and participatory formats.
One of the Foundation’s main areas of focus is supporting emerging artists, particularly through initiatives such as the AIM Fellowship, which combines mentorship, community building and expanded exhibition. Although this culminates in a highly anticipated biennial exhibition, Momen Momen points to its distinct structure, where artists develop their work over time through ongoing dialogue and engagement. This creates a very different kind of exhibition, one that reflects an ongoing conversation, often extending over a year, rather than a single curatorial moment. “Watching artists grow together, support each other, and share ideas is incredibly powerful,” she says.
Looking to the future, M. expects Momen is exploring ways to expand the accommodation models within the new building, but also the need to approach this matter thoughtfully. “As the building evolves, we will have more flexibility in how we program and use the space,” she points out. Being dynamic rather than static is essential to her approach. “I am interested in creating a holistic institutional approach, where exhibitions, public programs and education are in dialogue with each other. Not necessarily thematically identical, but connected by a common thread.”
At the same time, the finally renovated museum will provide space for a dynamic display of the permanent collection, which will be rotated over time and integrated into a broader programming strategy linking exhibitions, education and public initiatives. The collection itself has expanded significantly in recent years, reaching over 1,800 works, formed by a board of directors and an acquisitions committee that has been deliberate in its selections, prioritizing emerging artists and the international majority while maintaining a strong sense of curatorial intent. “It is a collection specifically designed to reflect the museum’s mission, vision and values,” she says. “Everything about it is aligned with that mission; it is not a group formed by chance donations and reflects a very deliberate and rigorous organizing and acquisition process. We do not aim to be encyclopedic, we aim to be specific.”
Next year, the programming will be ongoing and exploratory, activating the collection in dialogue with contemporary artists, Momen explains, though it is still too early to share more precise details. “I think of it as ‘unfolding.’ That was the theme of our ceremony, and it resonates both architecturally and philosophically,” she says. “It’s not about reinvention, it’s about opening up what already exists, making it visible and allowing it to evolve.”
Even now, while most of the museum building is closed for refurbishment, the doors remain open, with the AIM Biennale on display over the summer. After that, outdoor programming will continue, while Momen also expects to expand the museum’s initiatives into the public realm, collaborate with other Bronx organizations and activate outdoor spaces through sculpture, murals, performances and events. “It’s about maintaining a dynamic presence as the building evolves.”
When asked to describe the museum’s identity in a few words, Momen offered: a commitment to diverse voices and a focus on creativity and innovation. At its core is the mission of promoting conversations that advance cultural discourse and respond to the realities of the world. “Artists do this naturally, and we are here to provide a platform for those conversations.”
Ole Erezcu, Shamim Momin, Lewis Blaine and Colm Dillane
Daniel Falls, Colm Dillane, and Annie B. Taylor
Julian Grannell, Larry Warsh and Colm Dillane
Dani Baez, Hana Traore and Bonnie Ramirez
Mickalene Thomas
