Children’s Museum of Manhattan Expansion Moves Forward on Upper West Side

• Construction is underway on the new Children’s Museum of Manhattan at 361 Central Park West.
• The adaptive reuse project will transform a historic church into an 80,000-square-foot museum.
• The expanded facility is expected to open in 2028 and will double the museum’s capacity.

What the New Museum Project Includes

Work is moving ahead on the future home of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan at 361 Central Park West on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Designed by FXCollaborative, the project will convert a landmarked church property into a seven-story museum featuring approximately 80,000 square feet of space. The redevelopment will introduce new immersive exhibits and research-based experiences created in partnership with THG Creative. Plans also include a dedicated performance venue, rooftop terrace overlooking Central Park, café, and museum store. The property sits at the corner of Central Park West and West 96th Street, directly across from Central Park and near several subway lines.

What the Adaptive Reuse Project Will Preserve

Rather than demolishing the historic structure, the development team is preserving key architectural elements while modernizing the building for museum use. The project will restore the church’s white granite façade and maintain its original massing and steeple. Construction crews are also preserving distinctive interior features, including the barrel vault ceilings and tall arched windows. Shawmut Design and Construction has already completed interior demolition work and started structural upgrades needed to create additional program space inside the existing shell. Adaptive reuse projects like this continue gaining momentum across New York City as developers and institutions look for ways to modernize historic buildings while preserving neighborhood character.

What the Expansion Means for the Museum

The redevelopment marks the museum’s first major expansion in more than four decades. Once completed, the new facility will double the institution’s physical footprint and allow it to serve significantly more children and families throughout the city. Museum officials said the new space is being designed specifically for children from birth through age ten, with interactive educational programming and hands-on experiences playing a major role in the layout. The larger footprint will also give the institution flexibility to expand exhibitions, public events, and community programming over time.

What the Location Adds to the Project

The museum’s location along Central Park West places it in one of Manhattan’s most visible cultural corridors. The site also benefits from strong public transportation access, including the B and C trains at the nearby 96th Street station and the 1, 2, and 3 trains along Broadway. For the surrounding neighborhood, the project adds another long-term institutional investment to the Upper West Side while preserving a historic structure that has long been part of the local streetscape. Construction is expected to continue through 2028.