Studio Museum Evacuates Visitors After “Sprinkler Emergency”
Videos show water pouring from the ceiling near the gift shop in the institution’s brand-new building.
Two months after its festive opening, the Adjaye Associates-designed Studio Museum in Harlem evacuated visitors today following a messy "sprinkler emergency" in its gift shop. The museum will remain closed through the weekend, a spokesperson confirmed.
A museum visitor who asked to remain anonymous told Hyperallergic that staff instructed guests to leave the museum this afternoon, January 23, as water poured from the ceiling near the gift shop.
“We saw a large pool of water on the floor near the entrance, and saw the water flowing down in the store," the visitor said.
A spokesperson for the Studio Museum reached by Hyperallergic confirmed that a sprinkler was damaged during preparations for the upcoming storm and cold front, causing a flood in the gift shop below. No artworks or galleries were affected.
”Because the incident impacted the adjacent entrance to the building, and in anticipation of the impending storm, the Museum will be closed to the public throughout the weekend,” the spokesperson said.
Video of the incident captured by a bystander
The New York City Fire Department (FDNY) responded to the incident. The FDNY told Hyperallergic they received a call for a "sprinkler emergency" at 2:30 pm on Friday. The incident was resolved by 3 pm, FDNY said, and there were no injuries.
Videos captured by bystanders show water raining steadily from the ceiling, including one containing light fixtures. "I hope nothing is damaging the artwork," one person is heard saying.
The Studio Museum reopened to the public on November 15 following a seven-year closure and the construction of a new building by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson. (Adjaye was accused of sexual misconduct in 2023 and had since stepped away from the Studio Museum project. He has denied the allegations.) The new 82,000-square-foot building reportedly cost $160 million.
Editor’s note 1/23/26 6:40 pm ET: This article was updated with comment from the Studio Museum.
