After more than a decade of planning and construction, the new Princeton University Art Museum is ready to throw open its doors with a massive 24-hour public celebration.
The long-awaited event will begin at 5 p.m. on Oct. 31 and run until 5 p.m. on Nov. 1. The opening is free—as admission to the museum will always be—and promises “art around the clock” with activities for all ages.
The new building, which significantly expands space for exhibition, conservation, and study, has been envisioned as a vital campus and community resource.
“The new museum was designed to be a kind of town square for the arts and humanities, a place of coming together,” James Steward, director of the Princeton University Art Museum said. He added that the 24-hour open house is a core part of the museum’s commitment to “meeting our audiences where they are.”
Art around the clock
The celebratory public opening will feature a wide range of activities, including collections highlights tours, art-making workshops, live performances, film screenings, poetry readings, and even morning yoga.
The museum’s new facility roughly doubles the space for its extensive collections, with gallery space growing from 17,000 to 80,000 square feet. This expansion allows the museum to showcase its holdings that span thousands of years of human history and cultural traditions from across the globe.
“That ‘under one roofness,’ as I call it, is really interesting and powerful to me,” Steward said, emphasizing the museum’s ability to present art that connects humanity through universal values and experiences.
A new hub for campus and community
Located at the heart of the Princeton campus, the new structure includes several community-focused amenities, such as a restaurant, an auditorium, art-making studios, and outdoor terraces.
Two new features, the “artwalks,” allow people to walk through parts of the building as they cross campus, ensuring the structure is integrated into the daily life of the university. The artwalks and the central Grand Hall will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10:45 p.m.
Before the public debut, the museum is hosting preview days for its core audiences:
- Oct. 25: A special preview for Princeton University students.
- Oct. 26: A preview for museum members.
- The week before the public opening: Preview days for University faculty and staff.
The new Princeton University Art Museum aims to be a dynamic and free resource for engaging with the world of art in meaningful ways, serving both the university and the larger community for generations to come.
