Upstate NY Museum Named Time Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places

Time has named the top one hundred world's greatest places of 2024 and an Upstate New York museum made the list. This diverse museum made it a worthwhile destination.

The Buffalo AKG Art Museum, formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, has reopened after a two hundred and thirty million dollar renovation. This extensive overhaul, which began in November 2019 and concluded in June 2023, has redefined the museum, adding new spaces and enhancing its impressive collection.

One of the most striking additions is the new lobby, which features a dazzling canopy of mirrors and glass. This architectural marvel, created by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann of Studio Other Spaces, offers visitors a visually stunning welcome according to Time.

The museum's expansion adds over fifty thousand square feet of gallery space, allowing it to showcase masterpieces by artists like Cézanne, Brancusi, and O’Keeffe, alongside contemporary works by emerging artists such as Sin Wai Kin and Julia Bottoms. Additionally, visitors can enjoy new amenities, including a café, a coffee-and-wine bar, and a specially designed play area for children, created in collaboration with the LEGO Foundation.

The reopening of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum marks a significant cultural milestone for Buffalo, a city that’s also celebrating new attractions like The Richardson Hotel and the expanded West Side Bazaar, reflecting its vibrant and evolving cultural scene.