Museum unveils Leeser design for new Queens facility.

The Museum of the Moving Image has unveiled the design for a $25 million renovation and expansion of its facility in Astoria, New York.

The announcement was made by Rochelle Slovin, Director of the Museum, Herbert S. Schlosser, Chairman of the Museum's Board of Trustees, and Thomas Leeser, principal of Leeser Architecture.

The renovation and expansion will nearly double the size of the Museum and will feature a garden and outdoor movie theater for summer screenings, concerts, and special events; new exhibition spaces and digital media galleries; and an education center with new facilities for students and teachers.

The design also calls for a new collection storage facility to be built to house the Museum's 150,000 artifacts relating to the history of motion pictures, television, and digital media; and a new 74-seat screening room and a complete renovation of the existing 200-seat Riklis Theater.

Elements include a new lobby, shop, cafe, and dynamic street presence. The innovative design features a sophisticated electronic infrastructure to permit the integration of moving image media throughout the building.

The expansion will enable the Museum to advance its pioneering work in the presentation of moving images that examine the intersection of art, technology and culture.

It will allow the Museum to greatly expand its educational mission, making a significant impact on the community and on the cultural life of the City of New York.

Known for his interest in new media, Leeser is widely recognized for the inclusion of emerging technologies into his architectural projects.

Since 1989, as principal of his own firm, Leeser Architecture, Thomas Leeser has achieved worldwide recognition for his influential submissions to international juried competitions.