New flagship store opens at The Museum of Modern Art
The new 5,200 square foot flagship store at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Gensler, with retail design by Lumsden Design opens on Oct. 21, 2019, adjacent to the lobby of the museum.
Intended to attract passers-by and ticketed museum-goers alike with dual entrances, the new retail position is clearly visible from various points within the Museum and seamlessly integrates into the overall Museum experience. Visitors to MoMA can now expect a dramatically remodeled front elevation, featuring an off-street entrance leading to a mezzanine bridge overlooking the new Museum Store adjacent to the lobby of the Museum.
Visitors will access the space via a central staircase or circular glazed elevator, and will notice, before descending into the store, a vast 30-foot tall floor-to-ceiling wall display, which showcases art-related publications selected by the retail merchandising team, along with counterparts from all six curatorial departments.
The store is home to high quality design objects displayed on low-density fixtures, cast in solid aluminum for a distinctive and refined finish. Each of these products has been handpicked by the museum’s retail team and approved by MoMA curators, reflecting the internationally renowned design vision of the institution.
On the north side of the store beneath the mezzanine level are high density fixtures displaying a comprehensive selection of art-reproduction products such as prints, postcards, stationery and gifts as well as unique desk accessories, personal products and apparel.
All display fixtures and accessories have been designed with simple and elegant forms to reflect MoMA’s pared-back aesthetic, using the established material and color palette seen across all MoMA Design Stores. Consideration was made to focus the visitors’ attention on the carefully selected product assortment; the fixtures were designed with inbuilt flexibility allowing units to be joined together or reconfigured as needed.
“Lumsden has an innate understanding of our brand, the uniqueness of our product offering and retail’s role in the museum visitor experience,” said Ruth Shapiro, director of sales and business development. “We’ve worked together on the successful renovation of the MoMA Design Store across from the Museum in New York and multiple stores in Japan, so it made perfect sense to collaborate on our new flagship store.”
“We worked closely with project architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Gensler on the retail environment, ensuring the space would match MoMA’s status as a world-leading cultural destination. The external references are subtle but once you step inside the store, each touchpoint is carefully crafted to create the ultimate cultural retail experience,” said Callum Lumsden, creative director, Lumsden Design.
This project is the latest in Lumsden’s longstanding relationship with the MoMA brand, which has seen the delivery of MoMA Design Stores in New York and Japan.
For more information on MoMA, visit www.moma.org.