New York cultural giants bring major art installations to JFK's new terminal

When John F. Kennedy International Airport unveils its new $4.2 billion Terminal 6, visitors won’t just be greeted by sleek gates and high-tech screens – they’ll walk straight into a mini New York arts district.

As reported by Artnet, four of the city’s most renowned cultural institutions – the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts – are teaming up to showcase major installations inside the terminal.

The artworks, all on loan from each institution’s permanent collection, will be displayed in the international arrivals corridor. It’s part of a wider effort to make Terminal 6 not just a place to pass through – but a cultural experience in its own right.

“Thanks to the collaboration with four of New York’s premier cultural institutions, Terminal 6 will offer arriving visitors from around the world a unique New York experience before they leave the terminal,” said Port Authority executive director Rick Cotton.

In addition to these pieces, the terminal will feature 19 permanent, site-specific installations curated by Public Art Fund, plus a rotating display of local work selected by Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

Lincoln Center is contributing a 140-foot mural celebrating its work across music, dance, theatre and opera. MoMA has partnered with artist Yoko Ono on a piece inspired by her 2019 work PEACE is POWER. The American Museum of Natural History will create a display drawing from its scientific collections, while the Met’s installation nods to its diverse collection, showcasing 5,000 years of global art.

“We’re honoured to collaborate with such prestigious institutions – icons in the global arts community and deeply rooted in the spirit of New York City,” said Steve Thody, CEO of JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), which is leading the project with the Port Authority. “Each installation will reflect and celebrate the vibrant cultural heartbeat of New York as we welcome the world to JFK and beyond.”

The effort is led by architect Stanis Smith and will also feature 19 site-specific permanent installations curated by Public Art Fund and rotating local artworks curated by Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.

The 1.2 million-square-foot terminal will feature 10 gates and is expected to create around 4,000 jobs. Airlines including JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss, ANA, Avianca, and Cathay Pacific will operate from the terminal. Cotton noted that the terminal will boast “state-of-the-art architecture, cutting-edge technology and iconic, [and] locally inspired dining and shopping."

The first six gates are set to open later this year, with full completion expected by 2028.

While JFK’s new terminal celebrates New York’s artistic spirit, the wider US cultural landscape faces increasing political scrutiny.

A letter sent by the White House last week ordered several US museums to align their content with Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history.

The move follows Trump’s signing of an executive order in March titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History,” which accused the Smithsonian of coming under the influence of a “divisive, race-centered ideology” and called upon it to “remove improper ideology” from the institution's museums.

In February, Trump removed the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees and replaced them with his supporters. He even named himself chairman and vowed to end events featuring performers in drag, indicating he would take on a larger role in dictating the institution's programming schedule.