New Museum's OMA Expansion Leaks During Flash Floods, Closes for Weekend

Just months after reopening its $82 million OMA-designed expansion, the New Museum in Manhattan suffered a significant water leak during flash floods on July 18. Museum workers used buckets to catch water streaming into a gallery housing WangShui's work "oppose the serpent" (2024). The museum closed for the weekend due to extreme weather. No artworks were damaged. The 60,000-square-foot expansion, which doubled exhibition space, had already drawn mixed reviews, with critics noting unfinished details like masking tape on railings and exposed wiring. The leak occurred during the inaugural exhibition "New Humans: Memories of the Future," featuring over 150 artists.