Whitney update: Days End installation moving forward; museum coordinates reopening protocols with city museums

Adam Weinberg, Alice Pratt Brown Director of the Whitney Museum, told Manhattan Community Board 2 that the Whitney’s construction and exhibition plans remain active and that the museum is coordinating reopening guidance with other major New York museums.

Weinberg said fabrication for the Days End installation (David Hammons) is taking place in Toronto and that the team still expects to install it and open in the fall if conditions allow. He described the larger museum reopening effort as a collaborative task force of about 18 New York museums working to set consistent protocols for visitor safety once the governor sets opening dates.

The updates are significant because the Whitney is a major cultural anchor in the neighborhood and its reopening plans affect nearby parks, visitor flows and arts programming. Board members also heard details about the museum’s online programming and education outreach while physical galleries remain closed.

Weinberg reviewed recent museum activity and programming: the Whitney has been producing online talks and programs (Whitney Screens, Whitney Wednesdays), expanding K–12 online offerings and creating family art-making content. He said the museum will emphasize neighborhood access on reopening and planned to increase free admission days early in the reopening period to help people affected by job losses. On finances, Weinberg said the museum expects a revenue shortfall from lost ticketing; it received a PPP loan and philanthropic support and reduced staffing by about 20 percent but expects a multi-year recovery period for attendance and revenue.

On Days End, Weinberg said the work is being fabricated in pieces that can be replaced individually if damaged, and that piles for the installation are set in the water. He showed renderings of how Days End will sit relative to the Gansevoort Peninsula and the riverfront and noted associated education and interpretive materials the museum is preparing.

Board members asked about access for local residents and school programming. Weinberg said people aged 18 and under are free at all times and that the Whitney’s education staff is ramping up online teacher training and remote offerings for schools; he acknowledged uncertainty about field trips if classroom time is compressed. The museum plans podcasts, oral histories and other resources to maintain engagement while public programs are constrained.

Weinberg described the museum’s civic role and said the Whitney intends to welcome nearby residents first when the museum reopens, noting the institution’s roughly one‑third local, one‑third national and one‑third international attendance mix before the pandemic. He said reopening timing remains subject to the governor’s decisions but that the museum expects to be part of an early wave once state guidance permits it.

David Breslin, presented the museum’s online program slate, including weekly film/video showcases, Instagram Live talks about museum operations and an expanded set of education webinars and art‑making sessions for families and schools. The Whitney team asked the board to share questions and said they will continue virtual outreach until in-person activity can safely resume.

Board members thanked the museum for the update and for coordination with Little Island on neighborhood programming.