SoHo’s MoMA Design Store Unveils a Stunning Transformation

Interior shot of the recently-reopened and renovated MoMA Design Store in SoHo

Photo: Eric Petschek

In the span of just a few months, New York’s Museum of Modern Art has hit a major stride—at least in terms of its design stores. In September, MoMA Design Store opened its first-ever location in Seoul, in collaboration with Hyundai Card. The shop also released an ambitious fall collection last month, complete with new artist-created products and exclusive MoMA-branded merch. And now, after being closed since May 16, 2025, MoMA has finally unveiled the completed redesign of its flagship store in SoHo.

Spearheaded by the Brooklyn-based architecture studio Peterson Rich Office, the top-to-bottom transformation sees several major improvements to MoMA Design Store’s layout, circulation, and overall atmosphere. Custom vitrines, perforated blue metal displays, and contemporary lighting now ground the store, seamlessly guiding visitors to display areas that are far airier and fluid compared to the past. Though there are now fewer products found inside, those that the shop does feature reflect a more thoughtful curation, focusing on formal integrity, visual appeal, and relevance to MoMA’s exhibitions, collections, and educational initiatives.

This assortment is not only sharper in scope, but it’s also novel in content. After all, nearly half of the products will be new to the SoHo location, supplemented by exciting collaborations with renowned artists and designers. Finnish powerhouses Artek and Marimekko, for instance, have joined forces to produce a limited selection of Alvar Aalto’s furniture, each inlaid with Marimekko’s playful, floral patterns. Horace, a Parisian men’s skincare brand, has also made its U.S. retail debut at the store, with bar and hand soaps created exclusively for MoMA.

“This renovation strengthens the way we connect people to good design—making the experience feel more inclusive, inspiring, and dynamic,” Jesse Goldstine, MoMA’s chief retail officer, explained. “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.”

One of the most impressive additions to the MoMA Design Store is a mural by New York-based artist Nina Chanel Abney. Even from outside, passersby can catch a glimpse of Abney’s vibrant composition through the windows, which have been meticulously restored and thus feel brighter following the renovation. The mural, aptly titled LOVE NYC, encompasses countless site-specific references, all rendered through Abney’s signature bold and bright technique. Interspersed throughout are coffee cups and taxis; someone wearing a blue hat bearing an NYC logo; subway lines; and cheeky nods to art history, with Salvador Dalí’s melting clock draped over a tree and Marcel Duchamp’s readymade bicycle wheel.

Architecturally, Peterson Rich honored the building’s historical nature, integrating rather than forgoing its unique character. Since its original opening in SoHo in 2001, the MoMA Design Store has undergone a few changes, and so maintaining its distinctive character was critical to its upgrade. Modern textures and display shelves juxtapose more classic elements, including original columns and 19th-century masonry. The store’s Spring Street entrance was also returned to its original 1880s location, generating greater flow throughout the space.

“Our architectural approach creates a conversation between the building’s rich 19th-century history and contemporary design,” Nathan Rich, founding partner of Peterson Rich Office, remarked. “By honoring its past and layering in contemporary elements, we aimed to create a rhythm that encourages curiosity and connection.”

Goldstine added: “For some, SoHo is their first encounter with the [museum], and we’ve created a space to make that moment feel meaningful, memorable, and unmistakably MoMA.”

MoMA Design Store is open in SoHo daily, Monday through Saturday, 10 AM to 7 PM, and Sunday, 11 AM to 7 PM. To plan your own visit, check out MoMA’s store locator.