After years of talking it’s finally happening. The Universal Hip Hop Museum has started construction this past week. Hip Hop was born almost 50 years ago in the Bronx. 1520 Sedgwick Avenue to be exact. The museum’s organizers hope to open in 2023 for the 50th anniversary.
In late 2019, the state of New York contributed $3.7 million towards the project. The 52,000 square foot museum in the Bronx Point Development will have a massive collection of hip-hop, deejaying, graffiti art, and breakdancing artifacts and exhibits. The Bronx Point Development will also include numerous apartments, a performance space and a food hall.
The Universal Hip Hop museum will open to the public in 2023. According to the museum’s website, this will be for “a special on-site celebration” to honor the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. A more formal opening will take place in 2024, due to construction delays as a result of the pandemic.
The Universal Hip Hop Museum includes Hip Hop legends Grandmaster Melle Mel and Kurtis Blow are among its founders, as well as an advisory board featuring Q-Tip and Fab Five Freddy. Rocky Bucano serves as Executive Director.
