John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 6 is set to become a premier cultural destination as four of New York's most prestigious cultural institutions collaborate with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and JFK Millennium Partners (JMP) in a groundbreaking $4.2 billion project. The American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Modern Art will loan artworks from their permanent collections to be displayed within the terminal's international arrivals corridor.
The ambitious cultural initiative, spearheaded by architect Stanis Smith in collaboration with JMP, will feature distinctive contributions from each participating institution. Lincoln Center plans to install a massive 140-foot mural that will reflect its diverse cultural offerings spanning music, theater, dance, and opera. The Museum of Modern Art has partnered with renowned artist Yoko Ono to create a special installation inspired by Ono's 2019 work "Peace is Power," bringing contemporary art to the forefront of the airport experience.
The American Museum of Natural History will contribute an installation that incorporates elements from its world-renowned research and scientific collections, offering travelers a glimpse into natural wonders and scientific discoveries. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Museum of Art's installation will showcase an impressive span of human creativity by bringing together artworks representing 5,000 years of art from cultures around the world, creating a truly global artistic experience for international arrivals.
Beyond these major institutional partnerships, Terminal 6 will also house 19 permanent site-specific installations curated by the Public Art Fund, along with a rotating selection of local artwork curated by the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning. This multi-layered approach ensures that the terminal will serve as both a showcase for established cultural institutions and a platform for emerging local talent.
"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," stated Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. He emphasized that the terminal will feature not only these remarkable artworks but also "state-of-the-art architecture, cutting-edge technology, and iconic, locally inspired dining and shopping."
The massive 1.2 million-square-foot terminal represents a significant infrastructure investment that will include 10 new gates and is projected to create approximately 4,000 jobs. More than a dozen domestic and international airlines have committed to operating from the new terminal, including major carriers such as ANA, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, and Swiss.
Construction and opening will be implemented in phases, with the first six gates scheduled to open this year, while the remaining four gates are expected to be completed by 2028. This project builds upon the successful track record of the Port Authority and JMP, who previously collaborated on major terminal overhauls at LaGuardia Airport and Terminal A at Newark Liberty International Airport, establishing a new standard for integrating culture and travel infrastructure in the New York metropolitan area.
