From our beginnings as Brooklyn’s first free circulating library—incorporated in 1824—to the global cultural hub we are today, the Brooklyn Museum’s story has always been one of evolution and transformation. Nurtured by the freethinking spirit and creative energy of our home borough, we continuously reimagine what a museum can be. And we’re just getting started!

Starting this fall, we will celebrate our anniversary with a full year of festivities. The lineup includes numerous special exhibitions that reinterpret our collection in audacious ways, highlight our commitment to Brooklyn and its artists, showcase new gifts of art, and spark wonder and delight. We will also introduce initiatives that provide more access and more space to experience art that changes us—led by the launch of a mobile Museum on Wheels.

You’re invited!

Mark your calendar for our anniversary exhibitions and events, and revisit this page often to discover more in store. 

Birthday Bash | October 5, 2024: The Brooklyn Museum will kick off its anniversary celebration with a Birthday Bash, filled with programming and events that will highlight the best of the borough and mark two centuries of doing things “the Brooklyn way.” 

The Brooklyn Artists Exhibition | October 4, 2024–January 26, 2025: As a testament to our longstanding commitment to Brooklyn’s many talented denizens, the Museum will spotlight Brooklyn artists with a major group exhibition reflecting the range of creativity in the borough.

Reinstallation of American Art Galleries | Opening October 4, 2024: A groundbreaking reinstallation of over four hundred objects will upend traditional displays of American art by prioritizing bold new experiences with our renowned collection.

Solid Gold | November 15, 2024–May 4, 2025: The majesty of gold will be explored in an immersive exhibition that combines showpieces from our collection with international loans, illuminating the ways that gold has been a symbol of beauty, honor, joy, ritual, spirituality, success, and wealth throughout history.

Gifts of Art in Honor of the 200th | Opening February 28, 2025: As our celebrations continue into 2025, the Museum will host a special exhibition of recent acquisitions given in honor of the 200th anniversary.

Brooklyn Made | Opening February 28, 2025: Expanding on the Museum’s homage to our borough, this exhibition will highlight our remarkable collection of art and design made in Brooklyn from the nineteenth century to today. 

Building the Brooklyn Museum and Its Collection | Opening February 28, 2025: This exhibition charts 200 years of Brooklyn Museum history, from the initial spark of an idea for the institution to the formation of its collection, to its present-day role as one of the country’s largest and boldest museums.

Museum on Wheels | Pilot: July 2024, Launch: April 2025: An interactive art and education experience, Museum on Wheels will launch during the anniversary year and continue beyond the celebration, bringing intergenerational cultural programming to communities across the borough. 

There’s more to come

Stay tuned for details on additional exhibitions throughout the anniversary year. Plans include important activations in the Feminist Center, demonstrating our longtime commitment to intersectional feminism and spotlighting underrecognized women artists, as well as exciting new offerings around the building to improve your experience as a visitor.

There’s never been a better time to become part of the Brooklyn Museum community. Follow along on social under the hashtag #BkM200 and sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss a thing. Better yet, become a Member to get insider, out-of-the-gate access to it all. 

Support #BkM200

Join us as we meet this major milestone and help us shape what the next 200 years can be! Donate today.

Proud Sponsor of the 200th Anniversary Celebration