Image © Bridgit Beyer
New York, USA 2025
In 2021, The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing at The Metropolitan Museum of Art embarked on a major $70 million renovation project. Aimed at enhancing the visitor experience, partly by improving natural lighting with a custom-designed sloped glass wall adjacent to Central Park, it was also an opportunity to reorganize the collections of the Arts of Africa, the Ancient Americas, and Oceania with a stronger regional and historical narrative.
Display Exhibition Designer
WHY Architecture
This is the latest chapter in the story of the Rockefeller Wing, which has undergone significant evolution since its opening in 1982. Originally designed to house Nelson A. Rockefeller's collection of African, Oceanic, and Ancient American art, the wing has expanded and transformed over the decades to reflect both the growth of these collections and new scholarship.
The latest renovation project, designed by WHY Architecture, will significantly enhance the display and preservation culturally significant art. More than 1,800 works will be on view, with innovative displays that reflect contemporary perspectives.
This is a reframing that emphasizes the cultural significance of each region's artistic traditions.
Goppion has an established relationship with The Met, having worked on past projects including the renewal of the British Galleries for the Museum’s 150th anniversary, and the Northern Renaissance Sculpture and Decorative Arts Gallery, which reopened to the public in October 2023. We were delighted to contribute to The Michael C. Rockefeller renovation at what is undoubtedly one of the world’s most prestigious museums.
This time, we tailor-made 282 display cases to meet the client’s specific needs, which were varied, given that the collection encompasses such a wide range of materials and artistic forms. Goppion also served as the exhibition fabricator for the project—delivering all bases and plinths throughout the galleries. We worked closely with WHY Architecture to ensure that aesthetic and technical details were seamlessly integrated.
Our display cases included freestanding, wall-standing and wall hung models. Among them, a large 23-ft, 6-in model, with two doors and one central sliding door, and an 18-ft-tall wall-standing case, with two doors and a glass top. The cases are designed to be airtight but could also allow airflow if needed.
As can often be the case, our biggest challenges were the logistics involved. Approximately 40 stone platforms were specially imported from Portugal for the project; some of these featured upper plinths, while all of them had an internal metal structure and integrated systems to securely anchor unstable artworks. The coordination with Portugal, especially regarding shipping logistics, was particularly challenging.
The two especially large display cases also required a dedicated delivery route at their destination, passing through Central Park and parts of the Museum open to the public, which required a great deal of care and attention to ensure the safety of both the display cases and the public.
For Goppion, one of the pleasures of a major project like this is being part of the integration of modern museum technology at a longstanding institution. Our display cases now form part of a reimagined visitor experience that enhances collections legibility, reveals new research, includes state-of-the-art digital and audio enhancements, and celebrates the rich diversity of cultural traditions across these regions.
Gallery
