Sprinkler Malfunction Forces Studio Museum in Harlem Close for Two Weeks
34Jan. 29, 2026
TheStudio Museum in Harlem, New York, is closed until February 7, following a January 23 “sprinkler emergency” that caused it to evacuate visitors.Hyperallergic, which first reported the malfunction, noted that a sprinkler head was damaged during preparations for Winter Storm Fern, which socked New York withnearly a foot of snowover the weekend. The injury caused water to torrent from the ceiling near the museum’s gift shop, with one witness telling the publication that they “saw a large pool of water on the floor near the entrance, and saw the water flowing down in the store.” Bystander video appeared to show water pouring from a ceiling that housed light fixtures.
The museum confirmed that no galleries or works were damaged in the incident and, following a visit from the FDNY, announced that it would close for the weekend. On January 27, the institution sent out an email to members announcing the extension of the closure, saying it would be “work[ing] on repairs related to recent water damage.” The museum further noted the cancellation of all programs and events during the closure, and assured museumgoers that those who had purchased tickets in advance would receive refunds.
The closure comes less than three months after the museum’s triumphant reopening in its new $300 million home. The institution, the country’s top museum devoted to work by Black artists, was displaced for nearly eight years, owing to construction delays, while the new building took shape. Designed by Adjaye Associates with Cooper Robertson, the seven-story, 82,000-square-foot structure has been praised for harmoniously blending in with the neighborhood’s architecture while elevating the art on display.