The Met’s Reimagined Rockefeller Wing: A Global Art Odyssey Unveiled

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has thrown open the doors to its newly renovated Michael C. Rockefeller Wing, a breathtaking showcase of over 1,800 artworks from Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania. Reopened on May 31, 2025, after a four-year, $70 million transformation, the wing redefines how these vibrant cultural traditions are experienced, blending cutting-edge design with deep respect for their histories. From towering Asmat sculptures to delicate Andean textiles, this revamped space invites visitors on a journey across five continents and millennia, celebrating the brilliance of global art.

The renovation, led by architect Kulapat Yantrasast of WHY Architecture and Beyer Blinder Belle, transforms the 40,000-square-foot wing into an immersive haven. A state-of-the-art sloped glass wall along Central Park floods the galleries with filtered natural light, creating a serene backdrop for treasures like Ethiopia’s 14th-century Book of the Gospels and New Guinea’s monumental bis poles. Curators Alisa LaGamma, Joanne Pillsbury, Laura Filloy Nadal, and Maia Nuku have reorganized the collections to highlight each region’s autonomy while fostering dialogue with the Met’s broader exhibits, such as Greek and Roman art.

The Arts of Africa galleries dazzle with 500 works spanning medieval to modern times, anchored by regional architectural nods like a ceiling inspired by Mali’s Great Mosque of Djenné. New acquisitions, including contemporary pieces, and digital features like films by Sosena Solomon, produced with the World Monuments Fund, enrich the narrative. The Ancient Americas section expands beyond pre-Columbian art to include colonial-era Indigenous works, with a groundbreaking gallery dedicated to light-sensitive Andean textiles—the first of its kind in the U.S. The Oceania galleries, showcasing 650 works from 140 cultures, emphasize Indigenous perspectives through new commissions by Pacific artists and a dynamic layout that traces ancestral connections across the vast region.

The wing’s history is as compelling as its art. Named for Michael C. Rockefeller, who collected many of the Asmat pieces before his tragic disappearance in 1961, it began with Nelson Rockefeller’s vision to elevate non-Western art. His 1969 gift of 3,300 objects from the Museum of Primitive Art revolutionized the Met’s global focus when the wing opened in 1982. Today’s redesign, informed by international scholars and Indigenous voices, addresses past critiques of colonial framing, presenting these cultures as equal players in the art historical canon.

Max Hollein, the Met’s Director, hailed the project as a milestone in cultural appreciation, noting its role in fostering empathy and understanding. Visitors can explore through interactive digital features, audio guides, and a celebratory festival on May 31, featuring live music and gallery talks. Whether you’re drawn to the spiritual power of a Malian carved figure or the intricate beauty of Polynesian sculpture, the Rockefeller Wing is a must-visit, redefining how we see the world’s artistic heritage.