Makeup Museum

The Makeup Museum occupies a unique space in the cultural landscape by focusing on the ten thousand year history of human adornment. It opened its doors on Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to serve as a permanent home for artifacts that trace how societies have used cosmetics to order and arrange their self-presentation. The institution functions as a dedicated archive for items ranging from ancient Egyptian kohl jars to the personal beauty tools of mid-century icons like Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo. By documenting these objects, the museum highlights how the daily ritual of applying makeup has remained a fundamental form of human expression across countless generations.