People of various ages engage in hands-on activities and crafts in a bright, modern space with geometric art installations and display shelves.
Photography by Andrew Rugge/Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.

August 7, 2026

Words: Dan Howarth

Perkins Eastman Designs A Museum Around The Language Of Math

As the city’s only experiential science center devoted entirely to the topic of numerical operations and structures, this Manhattan museum, aka MoMath, is a welcome addition (ahem). The new location by Perkins Eastman, an adaptive reuse of two historic buildings in Chelsea and double the size of its previous incarnation, is filled with interactive exhibits that are visible through the glazed frontage of the former department store. By night, the glowing facades are a beacon—vehicles of curiosity and discovery for passersby. Perkins Eastman embedded on-theme elements throughout the 46,000-square-foot interiors, including a new steel, glass, and terrazzo spiral stair that connects the two public levels—demonstrating how applied mathematics and computational design drive architectural invention. The ground level features installations on such topics as fractions and fractals as well as movable exhibits that can be reconfigured for lectures and workshops. The all-ages fun continues upstairs, which hosts more learning activities and a special collections gallery for temporary shows, including of math-inspired artworks.

National Museum of Mathematics, New York by Perkins Eastman, Sustainability Giants #14

  • Curved white staircase with glass railing spirals upward beneath a geometric metal and glass light fixture, viewed from below.
    Photography by Andrew Rugge/Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
  • People view abstract paintings and a sculpture in a modern art gallery with white walls, wooden floors, and bright overhead lighting.
    Photography by Andrew Rugge/Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
  • People stand and walk near a staircase with a modern railing and vertical colored rods, under a circular skylight, in a brightly lit, blue-walled interior space with educational displays.
    Photography by Andrew Rugge/Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.
  • People of various ages engage in hands-on activities and crafts in a bright, modern space with geometric art installations and display shelves.
    Photography by Andrew Rugge/Courtesy of Perkins Eastman.

Interested in learning more about Interior Design’s 2026 Giants of Design? Check out our reports for Top 100 Giants, Rising Giants, Hospitality Giants, Healthcare Giants, and Sustainability Giants.

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