NEW YORK, NY.- The Museum of Modern Art unveiled the newly reimagined MoMA Design Store, Soho, on Saturday, September 27. The redesigned space brings a fresh perspective to how people engage with design, culture and commerce in downtown New York. Beloved by locals and sought out by art and design enthusiasts from around the world, the Spring Street store acts as both a dynamic entry point to MoMA and a destination in its own right. Debuting within the redesigned store is LOVE NYC by Nina Chanel Abney, a New York-based artist with work in MoMA’s collection. The original work of art marks the first iteration of Modern Mural — a collaboration between the Museum and MoMA Design Store that brings contemporary art into the space through a rotating program of works.

Located at 81 Spring Street, the landmarked 19th-century building has been thoughtfully transformed by Peterson Rich Office. In keeping with MoMA’s mission to connect people to the art of our time, the redesigned space emphasizes accessibility, storytelling, and good design as catalysts for learning and creativity, and serves as a welcoming gathering place downtown.

“This renovation strengthens the way we connect people to good design — making the experience feel more inclusive, inspiring and dynamic,” said Jesse Goldstine, Chief Retail Officer at MoMA. “We wanted to create a space where visitors don’t just shop, but also engage with the stories, ideas and creative thinking behind the objects surrounding them. For some, Soho is their first encounter with the institution, and we’ve created a space to make that moment feel meaningful, memorable, and unmistakably MoMA.”

ART IN SOHO: MODERN MURAL LAUNCHES WITH LOVE NYC

Visible from Spring Street, Nina Chanel Abney’s LOVE NYC spans the store’s north wall. For this new work of art, she employed her signature paper cut-out technique to create individual elements that she then arranged into a dynamic, site-specific composition. Motifs include cobblestones, street names, and subway lines, which nod to the history and energy of the surrounding Soho neighborhood. These are interspersed with references to works from the Museum’s collection: Salvador Dal’ís melting clock draped over a tree and Marcel Duchamp’s readymade bicycle wheel, which, unlike the actual bicycle facing it, can no longer be used to ride. In filtering such New York City and modern art icons through her own distinctive visual language, Abney reimagines a set of familiar symbols, synthesizing diverse aspects of contemporary culture.

"We're thrilled to debut this original work by Nina Chanel Abney in a space accessible to all," said Samantha Friedman, Curator, Department of Drawings and Prints, MoMA. "Through a dynamic visual language, she merges art and the everyday – the museum and the city – with energy, humor and sophistication."

A LANDMARK REIMAGINED

Largely untouched since its original opening in 2001, the Soho store has undergone a top- to-bottom transformation. Peterson Rich Office, a New York-based architecture and design firm, restored the building’s historic character, juxtaposing it with modern interventions that support an intuitive and engaging shopping experience.

Original columns, expansive windows and 19th-century masonry were carefully restored. Custom vitrines, perforated blue metal displays and contemporary lighting now guide visitors through a fluid, experiential layout. The Spring Street entrance was also returned to its original 1880s location—restoring the building’s footprint, improving circulation, and offering a more welcoming arrival experience with a direct line of sight to the mural within.

“Our architectural approach creates a conversation between the building's rich 19th-century history and contemporary design,” said Nathan Rich, Founding Partner, Peterson Rich Office. “By honoring its past and layering in contemporary elements, we aimed to create a rhythm that encourages curiosity and connection. This was a deeply collaborative process, and we were proud to work closely with MoMA to reimagine what this space could be.”

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN ROOTED IN MoMA’S DNA

Since its inception, MoMA Design Store has been deeply informed by the Museum’s Department of Architecture & Design — the first of its kind, established in 1932. That relationship remains foundational, shaping everything from the store’s curator-approved product assortment to its storytelling and staff training.

A central fixture features objects from MoMA’s collection, offering a tactile, shoppable link to the Museum. Throughout the space, visual storytelling reinforces the store’s values — echoing the spirit of MoMA’s influential Good Design exhibitions and affirming the belief that well-designed objects deserve to be celebrated for their ability to shape our lives and elevate the everyday.

NEW INTRODUCTIONS

The assortment has been thoughtfully edited: fewer products, richer narratives, and a sharper point of view. Every item is considered through a curatorial lens, and each purchase supports MoMA’s exhibitions, conservation efforts, and educational initiatives.

When the doors reopen, nearly half of the product assortment will be new to Soho, including many MoMA Design Store exclusives developed in close collaboration with artists, designers, and manufacturers.
Notable launches include:

• Artek + Marimekko - The collaboration between the Finnish designers offers a limited selection of Artek’s Aalto furniture inlaid with Marimekko patterns, with the Stacking Stool and Bench available at MoMA Design Store for a limited time.

• Horace – The Parisian men’s clean and sustainable skincare brand makes its U.S. retail debut at MoMA Design Store, expanding the definition of good design into the personal care space including branded bar and hand soaps exclusively created for MoMA.

• IZIPIZI for MoMA – A longtime partner, IZIPIZI has created exclusive editions of its bestselling sunglasses and readers in a signature blue hue that echoes the store’s new fixtures, made from bio-based materials.

• Only NY for MoMA – This creative collaboration celebrates the vibrancy of New York City with a capsule line of apparel and home goods featuring Micah Belamarich’s Community of New York illustration — reinterpreting the city through playful, local design.