After four years of construction, Princeton University's new Art Museum will officially open its doors on October 31, marking a significant milestone for the institution. The massive project has generated considerable excitement on campus, with museum director James Steward describing it as an initiative designed to put Princeton on the cultural map in an even more prominent way.
The new facility occupies the same location as the old museum but features a dramatically expanded footprint of 140,000 square feet, effectively doubling the previous building's size. During a press event in October, Steward explained that while relocating to the campus periphery would have been easier, building at the heart of campus was essential to the project's mission. "Building at the heart of things signals the importance this University continues to place on the arts and humanities as well as on making the experience of art part of everyday life," he stated.
Steward characterized the new museum as "a kind of town square in which we can all find ourselves in pursuit of knowledge, comfort, joy, and even provocation." He emphasized that at a time when humanities face questioning, polarization breeds distrust, and artificial intelligence complicates distinguishing fact from fiction, the museum represents "an act of faith."
The expanded space allows for a significantly larger portion of the collection to be displayed. With more than 117,000 objects spanning 5,000 years of human history, the collection rivals that of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles according to The New York Times. The new facility displays approximately 5% of the collection, compared to just 2% in the previous building. The collection has grown substantially with both newly commissioned works and donations, totaling about 2,000 additional pieces.
Steward highlighted what he considers one of the museum's most distinctive features: "our under-one-roofness – the possibilities that emerge when so many diverse cultural traditions are placed into dialogue with each other." While about 40% of the collection is housed within the museum building, and 5% is on display, the remainder is stored at a remote art storage facility constructed eight years ago at an undisclosed location.
The building's design specifically addresses the common problem of museum fatigue – the exhaustion visitors experience after wandering through exhibitions for hours. According to the museum's fall magazine, several strategies combat this issue: varying the size and atmosphere of different spaces to maintain visual engagement, strategically positioning windows throughout the building, installing forgiving wood floors that are easier on legs and feet, and providing numerous seating areas for rest.
Two prominent artwalks on the first floor encourage student foot traffic through the building rather than around it. One artwalk runs north-south while the other extends east-west, both flanked by glass cases containing rotating art pieces. QR codes provide interested viewers with detailed information about the displayed works, making the transit routes educational experiences.
The building's distinctive appearance comes from its sandblasted concrete walls, both interior and exterior, which appear dark granite-like in photographs but are actually concrete filled with charcoal-gray pebbles. The concrete was cast in place using molds built directly in the museum, then sandblasted to make the rough pebbles stand out prominently. Steward describes the effect as "rough and fundamental, ancient and eroded," creating an intentional contrast with the smooth, light-colored wood ceilings made from sustainable laminated glulam, while many floors feature terrazzo construction.
A significant improvement involves the presentation of ancient Roman floor mosaics. The previous museum displayed these mosaics on walls or roped off on floors, but the new facility has installed them approximately one foot beneath heavy glass flooring, allowing visitors to experience them as the Romans originally intended – underfoot.
The third-floor restaurant, named Mosaic, replaces lunch service previously offered at the Garden Room in nearby Prospect House. Some food preparation will still occur at Prospect House since open flames are prohibited in the art museum, and the Garden Room will now serve only private events rather than daily diners. Mosaic features both indoor and outdoor dining spaces and operates Thursday through Monday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends, with reservations available through Resy.com.
The new facility includes three specialized conservation laboratories compared to the single studio in the old museum, which was primarily used for paintings. These labs accommodate the diverse media in the museum's collection, including three-dimensional objects and works on paper. Additionally, six object study classrooms will enable students across various disciplines to incorporate art and artifacts into their coursework. Associate objects conservator Elena Torok noted the significance of this hands-on approach, explaining that she had to learn art history from slides, making the opportunity to work with actual objects "very exciting."
Family programming returns with "Art for Families," inviting families to view art and participate in Saturday morning Creativity Labs. The inaugural session on November 8 will feature an upcycling project inspired by Ghanaian artist El Anatsui's "Another Place," a shimmering tapestry created from bottle caps.
The grand opening celebration will span 24 hours, beginning at 5 p.m. on October 31. The marathon event includes five Halloween movies, a dance party, guided tours, sky gazing activities, trivia at 1:30 a.m., yoga at 7:30 a.m., and a performance by the Westrick Boys and Girls Choir at noon. Steward explained that this extended celebration demonstrates how the museum truly serves everyone, from night owls to parents with young children who wake up early.
Admission to the Princeton University Art Museum remains free for all visitors, ensuring accessibility to the university community and the general public alike.
