Swiss Institute acquires Bowery space for 2027 opening

The Swiss Institute in New York has acquired a new location at 250 Bowery, transitioning from its leased space in the East Village. The non-profit has enlisted the architectural firm Johnston Marklee to renovate the 1,020 sqm area, with plans to unveil the new gallery in Spring 2027. Johnston Marklee has a history of collaboration with institutions such as MCA Chicago, The Menil Drawing Institute, and Kunstmuseum Basel. Established in 1986 by Swiss expatriates on West 67th Street, the institute has been located at St Marks Place since 2018, which will close after exhibitions by SoiL Thornton and Jiajia Zhang conclude on 7 July. The inaugural exhibition at the new site will be a group show titled The Environment, drawing inspiration from a 1966–68 artist-led community project in downtown New York. Meanwhile, off-site projects will take place during the transition.