Princeton University Art Museum Opens in Jaw-Dropping New Architect-Designed Facility
PRINCETON, NJ - November 4, 2025 Princeton University Art Museum has officially opened its ambitious new home: a 146,000-square-foot building at the heart of campus designed by Sir David Adjaye’s firm in collaboration with Cooper Robertson.
The new facility doubles the museum’s previous footprint and features approximately 80,000 square‐feet of gallery space, nine interlocking pavilions, and an expansive “Grand Hall” with triple-height ceilings. With its mix of stone, bronze and glass materials and a serrated-concrete facade, the building boldly sits in contrast to Princeton’s historic campus architecture.
Museum leadership describes the structure as a “town square for the arts and humanities,” designed to invite both the university community and the public to engage in art, learning and cross-disciplinary exchange.
However, the project has not been without controversy. Adjaye faced public scrutiny in 2023 over allegations of sexual misconduct, prompting Princeton to publicly distance itself from the architect while continuing the project.
The opening signals a major investment in the arts by the university and marks a significant moment for academic museums in the U.S.—one built not only to display objects, but to shape how a campus and community engage with them.