The Museums Coming in the Next 5 Years Will Be a New Way to See NYC and Washington, D.C.

While American cultural institutions face their fair share of post-pandemic challenges (most notably with funding and attendance), they are not a dying breed. On the contrary, we’re entering a heyday of new American museums. The long list of museums in New York City will grow with one more notable addition in the coming years. The Climate Museum has found a permanent home in a new real estate development on New York City’s West Side near Hudson Yards. The Climate Museum, which was founded in 2018 as the country’s first museum dedicated to understanding climate change and inspiring people into action, has held over 15 exhibitions and hundreds of events and workshops throughout the city, often in collaboration with renowned institutions like Rockefeller Center and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.

According to a press release by the New York Governor’s office, the museum will encompass 24,000 square feet across three floors, featuring exhibition spaces and educational facilities. A new partnership with the New York State Research and Development Authority will support business leaders and entrepreneurs in developing climate solutions through mentorship programs and workshop spaces.

The museum, coming in 2029, will be designed by Brooklyn-based architecture firm FXCollaborative, which has previously worked on The Statue of Liberty Museum and Children’s Museum of Manhattan, among many other cultural, residential, and educational projects.

“The FXCollaborative team is thrilled to design a welcoming, inspiring space for the Climate Museum that empowers climate progress and serves as a model for the sustainable future we can create together,” said Dan Kaplan, senior partner at FXCollaborative, in an interview with Artnet.com. “The museum’s prominent location straddling Hudson Yards and the Javits Center is a fitting location for a compelling public forum for New Yorkers and visitors to face this all-important issue.”

The Climate Museum will be part of a $1.35 billion mixed-use development called HDSN (pronounced Hudson) that will also feature housing and a 455-room hotel with a rooftop and Hudson River views.

Two more museums will open in 2026 in Washington, D.C., as our nation’s capital prepares to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary (in addition to many other events and celebrations planned for that year in the District). Work is underway at the Lincoln Memorial, or rather underneath it, as workers are revamping a 15,000 square-foot space under the memorial into a new visitor center, museum, and bookstore, according to the National Park Service.

“New museum exhibits and multi-media presentations will highlight the construction history of the memorial and discuss how the Lincoln Memorial has become the nation’s foremost backdrop for civil rights demonstrations,” per a National Park Service statement. The $69-million project is scheduled for completion in July 2026. 

A mile-and-a-half north, in the Golden Triangle neighborhood, the National Geographic Society is also updating its Washington, D.C., campus with new cultural facilities. The Museum of Exploration will boast over 100,000 square feet and will feature “one-of-a-kind National Geographic curated exhibitions, immersive and educational experiences, a state-of-the-art theater, restaurant, and retail store,” according to a press release.

“The Museum of Exploration marks a historic chapter in the Society’s mission to advance exploration, science, education and storytelling, bringing these experiences to life in ways that spark curiosity, create lasting memories and invite everyone to embrace their inner explorer,” said Jill Tiefenthaler, the CEO of the National Geographic Society. 

A 400-seat theater will screen National Geographic movies and stories, while a separate exhibition space, the Rolex Explorers Landing, will display equipment and artifacts from the Society’s expeditions. Come nighttime, the museum’s courtyard will become the stage for immersive visuals via projection mapping, interactive media, and audioscapes that will bring “the wonder of our world to life,” the press release reads.

The Museum of Exploration is expected to welcome its first visitors in mid-2026.