New Humans: Memories of the Future event image
New Museum, Lower East Side, Manhattan

New Humans: Memories of the Future

The New Museum's five-month survey of art made with and about machines hits its last days on the Bowery.

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This is the New Museum's headline show of 2026, a full-building survey of artists imagining synthetic humans, machine memory and engineered futures, and it comes down August 31. Five months of buzz have made it the most-photographed contemporary exhibition on the Bowery, and the closing days are the busiest ones. If you have been meaning to see it all summer, this is genuinely your last chance.

What to expect

The show spreads across multiple gallery floors of the SANAA-designed tower, so plan to ride the elevator up and walk down. Expect video, sculpture and installation rooms that reward slow looking, plus a top-floor view over the Bowery. Timed tickets are sold online and lines build at the ground-floor desk.

Good to know

  • Nearest trains are the 6 to Spring Street, the B/D/F/M to Broadway-Lafayette and the J/Z to Bowery
  • The museum is closed early in the week, so check the hours page before you head over
  • Book a timed ticket online; walk-up entry can sell out during closing weeks
  • Start on the top floor and work down, which is how the building is designed to be seen
  • Best for adults and teens who follow contemporary art; the video rooms are dim and can be loud
  • The ground-floor lobby, shop and Oberon restaurant are free to enter without a ticket

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Common questions

How long does it take to see the whole exhibition?

Most visitors spend 75 to 90 minutes. If you want to sit with the longer video works, budget closer to two hours.

Is the New Museum accessible?

Yes. All gallery floors are reached by elevator and the ground-floor entrance is step-free. Ask at the admissions desk about assistive listening and seating.

Can I take photos?

Non-flash photography for personal use is generally allowed in the galleries, but some individual works carry no-photography labels. Check the wall text.