The New York Historical

RAMSA’s renovation and expansion of The New York Historical, in collaboration with Sam Anderson Architects, provides new classrooms, galleries, collection study areas, and a state-of-the-art collection storage and conservation facility for the renowned Patricia D. Klingenstein Library.

The first addition to the landmarked York and Sawyer building since 1937, RAMSA’s design was approved unanimously by the New York Landmarks Preservation Commission after extensive community engagement. The addition continues the street wall height of the neighboring brownstones as well as the proportions, scale, materials, and architectural treatment of the classically proportioned building that was built in two phases: the central portion facing the Park designed by York & Sawyer in 1903-8 with matching north and south wings, and the buff brick library stack tower (which was reconstructed as part of this project) and a service wing later designed by Walker & Gillette and constructed in 1937-8.

The project includes a new 71,000‑square‑foot Tang Wing for American Democracy, a major expansion that opened in 2026, aligning with the nation’s 250th anniversary. The new wing increases the annual capacity of the Academy for American Democracy from 3,000 to 30,000 participating sixth‑grade students. It also adds a new exhibition hall, the Klingenstein Family Gallery, along with the Stuart and Jane Weitzman Shoe Museum, increased on‑site storage for the library’s archival collections, and a state‑of‑the‑art conservation space for artworks and historical objects, including over three million books, pamphlets, maps, atlases, newspapers, broadsides, music sheets, prints, photographs architectural drawings and manuscripts.

The wing is also slated to house the American LGBTQ+ Museum in late 2027, further broadening The New York Historical’s cultural and educational reach.