Inside The New Museum’s New Restaurant, Where Sleek Steel Meets Subterranean Design
Inside The New Museum’s New Restaurant, Where Sleek Steel Meets Subterranean Design
How a cozy eatery was brought to life inside the museum’s slick, OMA–designed expansionBy Maya IbbitsonPhotography by Alex FradkinJune 30, 2026
The interior of Oberon, the new restaurant in the New Museum's OMA–designed expansion.Members of the art world—practitioners, publicists, dealers, and their hangers-on—have long congregated in eateries that they made their own. Paris’s bright young things had 20th century cafés and the Dadaists had Cabaret Voltaire. The names of the New York restaurants, bars, and coffee shops where artists have gathered over the years could fill a cookbook-thick catalogue—and following the New Museum’s re-opening this past April, Oberon wishes to insert itself into its pages.
Oberon is the first-ever full service restaurant designed by OMA, the international architecture firm behind the New Museum’s recent overhaul. Henry Rich, the restaurateur responsible for Brooklyn’s first natural wine bar (quite the superlative) among other ventures, came aboard to help make the new space feel like a neighborhood spot, tapping a series of artists and designers for collaborations that range from on-trend to unexpectedly awesome, including glassware by Raul de Nieves and parting chocolates by avant-garde artist Laurie Anderson. Rich wanted to home in on the downtown New York art world—though the restaurant will cater to tourists who want a quick bite after visiting the museum, too.
The facade of Oberon, seen from inside the New Museum
Accordingly, the restaurant’s design toes the line between interesting architecture and what Rich calls the “look-at-me experience.” In other words, it eschews gimmicks for good design that makes a splash. Located through a hidden entrance in Freeman Alley, the restaurant’s exterior is wrapped with a pane of frosted glass. A peek inside reveals a ledge topped with plants encircling the perimeter, below which a series of booths surround the restaurant’s pill-shaped space. A long, wooden bar designed by Minjae Kim reflects undulations from a visual installation by Ian Cheng behind it.
A video installation by Ian Cheng casts reflections on a bar manufactured by Minjae Kim.
“My role was to bring back some familiar texture to the project, so that as a guest, you're not overwhelmed by the severity of architecture,” says Kim, who designed many of the interior elements for what is his biggest project to date. He emphasized the wood grain on the bar and booth tables, above which he hung hand-crafted fiberglass pendants. In the reflection of the frosted glass, they seem to go on for infinity. “It was something I didn't really foresee, but was a pleasant discovery once we installed them,” says Kim.
Materiality was important to OMA and Rich from both a sustainability and style perspective. Oberon is committed to being scope-3 carbon neutral, and the team at OMA interpreted this brief through the medium of cork (five separate ways!). The material sequesters carbon, while also providing a warm look that helps Oberon “obey the laws of gravity of scene-y downtown restaurants,” according to Rich. If you were wondering, these laws are as follows: “It has to be comfortable. It has to be fun. It has to be service-oriented. The food has to be simple enough that people want to eat it over and over again.”
Details of the wooden tables and silver-foiled cork
Rich tapped multi-hyphenate chef-artist Julia Sherman to develop her first ever full-service restaurant menu (a throughline of this project is one of firsts). Chickpea fries with caviar and dehydrated-fig-leaf chicken demonstrate her seasonal, artful approach to cooking. The best part is how accessible Sherman’s food will be. “Artists, collectors, enthusiasts, gallerists—all have different budgets for going out to eat,” says Rich, who prioritized having menu items at lower price points. “So an artist can actually afford to be there—especially later on in the evening, where we want it to be a fun scene.”
Talking about the high cost of living, exorbitant New York rents, the lack of third spaces, and other financial barriers for artists is, at this point, as common as the announcement of a new members club or pickleball court. The art world has long felt inaccessible—but in one of the most prestigious art spaces in the country, Oberon ventures into approachable territory. The restaurant is set to open July 7 for lunch and dinner.
Another view of Oberon from inside the museum
The best 4th of July sales worth shopping right now: Save up to 65% on Apple, Yeti and more
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The best 4th of July deals on Apple, Yeti, Casper and more
Right now, you can save up to 65% on mattresses, outdoor furniture, ACs and summer clothing.June 30, 2026, 4:47 PM EDT
Mili Godio
Updates Editor
The Fourth of July is almost here, and if you missed out on getting your favorite items on sale during Prime Day, this is a great time to buy them at a discount. Many of our favorite brands and retailers are offering deep discounts of up to 65 percent during the holiday weekend, and now is a great time to score deals on mattresses, patio furniture, ACs, outdoor gear and summer clothing.
I’ve covered sales as an editor at NBC Select for nearly six years, so I know what actually makes a deal worth buying. Below are some of the best July Fourth deals I’ve found so far, and I’ll update this list with new deals throughout the remainder of the week.
Selected.Our top picks
Best bedding dealBrooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set$159.20$199.00BrooklinenLearn more
Best accessory dealAthleta All About Mini Crescent Bag$18.99$49.00AthletaLearn more
Best tech dealApple AirPods 4$99.00$129.00AmazonLearn more
Best travel dealLands’ End Medium 5 Pocket Open Top Canvas Tote Bag$29.96$39.95Lands' EndLearn more
Best beauty dealShark Beauty SpeedStyle Pro Flex Hair Dryer System$149.99$249.99AmazonLearn more
Best grill dealTraeger Grills Pro 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker$499.00$729.99AmazonLearn more
Best mattress dealCasper Snow Cooling Hybrid Mattress$1,900.00$2,720.00CasperLearn more
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Best July Fourth deals
Apple AirPods 4
$99.00$129.00AmazonNow 23% off$129.99Target$129.99Best BuyIf you hate the feeling of rubber eartips in your ears, the AirPods 4 are a great, lightweight option with a semi-open fit that’s relaxed and comfortable. They get up to five hours of battery life on a single charge and 25 more hours with the charging case. You can use them to ask Siri questions and they use voice isolation to make phone calls easy to hear. Since they don’t have noise cancellation, they’re also great if you prefer having some environmental awareness
Yeti Hopper M Series Backpack
$260.00$325.00AmazonNow 20% off$325.00Dick's Sporting Goods$325.00REIYeti is currently discounting a ton of products on Amazon, including this soft-sided backpack cooler. It can fit up to 36 cans or 22 pounds of ice, and its durable exterior resists water, leaks and punctures, according to the brand. It also weighs less than three pounds when empty, which makes it easy to haul back to your car after a day at the beach. I love taking this cooler on beach trips and tailgates because the straps are comfortable and it feels light, even when it’s filled to the brim with snacks and drinks.
Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set
$159.20$199.00BrooklinenNow 20% off$189.00AmazonThese are some of our favorite bed sheets because they’re cooling and great for hot sleepers. They’re made from 100% long-staple cotton and come in sizes ranging from twin to California king. Since they’re made with a percale weave, they have a crisp and cooling feel to them, making them a great option for summer months. The set comes with a top sheet, a fitted sheet and two pillowcases.
Traeger Grills Pro 34 Electric Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
$499.00$729.99AmazonNow 32% off$499.99$729.99Home DepotNow 32% off$499.00$729.95Ace HardwareNow 32% offThis wheeled Traeger grill has a shiny bronze hood that covers over 800 square inches of cooking surface area and has an extra grill rack to keep cooked food warm. It also comes with a food thermometer to help you take the temperature of meat and poultry and make sure it’s safe to eat. Plus there’s a small screen above a dial that lets you adjust the temperature of the grill and see the temperature of the probed food.
IT Cosmetics CC+ Nude Glow with SPF 40
$27.30$39.00UltaNow 30% off$39.00Sephora$39.00Kohl'sAs a beauty editor this is my go-to tinted SPF this summer; it’s lightweight and easy to blend, so I don’t have to worry about it looking cakey or sliding off throughout the day after sweating. It also has a great amount of coverage, which means I can skip foundation during the warmer months, and comes in 30 shades.
Casper Snow Cooling Hybrid Mattress
$1,900.00$2,720.00CasperNow 30% offIf you’re in the market for a cooling mattress this summer, this one from Casper is a great choice. It has the brand’s Snow Technology, which cools you down for over 12 hours as you sleep, according to the brand. It’s also made from soft memory foam and has a medium feel, so it’s snug in the middle between soft and firm.
Anyday 12-Piece Glass Round Dish Set
$180.00$225.00AnydayNow 20% offI’m a huge fan of Anyday’s cookware because they’re highly durable, freezer-, microwave- and oven-safe, and they double as food storage containers. NBC Select commerce editor Cory Fernandez also has the Anyday dishes and loves using them to make brownies and cakes in the microwave. This set of 12 comes with different sized glass containers and accompanying lids.
Waterpik Cordless Pulse 3100 Water Flosser
$32.99$49.99AmazonNow 34% offThis cordless water flosser has a rechargeable battery and an indicator that lets you know when to plug it in. Its removable, dishwasher-safe reservoir holds enough water for about 45 seconds of flossing, and the device comes with two flossing tips.
Lands’ End Medium 5 Pocket Open Top Canvas Tote Bag
$29.96$39.95Lands' EndNow 25% offThis medium-sized canvas tote is great to take on any outing, whether you’re taking a trip to the beach or simply running errands. “I have plenty of random canvas tote bags, but the Lands’ End Canvas Tote is by far my favorite. It comes in plenty of cute colors and the material is thick, durable and can definitely handle heavy groceries, shopping days or anything else you’re carrying around,” says NBC Select associate social media editor Caitlin Cusack.
Shark NV501 Rotator Professional Lift-Away Upright Vacuum
$199.99$329.99AmazonNow 39% off$199.99$318.06Home DepotNow 37% off$215.99$299.99WayfairNow 28% offThis upright vacuum has a detachable pod (so you can move it more easily around your space) and a detachable nozzle to clean upholstery, furniture, stairs and more. It has swivel steering to help maneuver in and out of small spaces and tight corners, plus it has LED headlights to show you exactly how much debris and pet hair it picks up. The vacuum comes with an upholstery tool, a dusting brush and a crevice tool.
Shark Beauty SpeedStyle Pro Flex Hair Dryer System
$149.99$249.99AmazonNow 40% off$149.99$249.99UltaNow 40% off$149.00$249.00SephoraNow 40% offTake your hair from wet to dry to styled with this hot tool, which regulates its temperature to prevent heat damage, according to the brand. It also has a scalp shield mode that lowers the air temperature when you’re drying your roots. The SpeedStyle is lightweight and it has a folding handle, making it compact and travel-friendly. It comes with multiple attachments, including a concentrator, diffuser and frizz-fighting tool. Plus, when you add an attachment, the tool automatically adjusts its heat and airflow level accordingly (you can manually change settings, too).
Blink Outdoor 4
$104.99$299.99AmazonNow 65% off$104.99$299.99Best BuyNow 65% off$104.99$299.99Home DepotNow 65% offThis pack of five mini outdoor cameras livestream footage to an app, so you can monitor the outside of your home and even hear and speak to visitors. The app also sends you motion and person detection alerts. Each camera comes with two batteries that power the device for up to two years, according to the brand.
Athleta All About Mini Crescent Bag
$18.99$49.00AthletaNow 61% offIf you’re planning a trip this summer and need a travel-friendly way to hold your essentials, consider this mini Athleta crossbody bag. It can fit your phone, wallet, keys and other small essentials, and it has adjustable straps to get the perfect fit. The larger size, which you can convert into a handbag, is also 40% off.
Medicube Zero Pore Pads 2.0
$18.90$31.00AmazonNow 39% off$20.99Target$21.00NordstromKey ingredients: lactic acid, salicylic acid | Quantity: 70 padsThese viral Medicube toner pads are a favorite among our NBC Select editors. They’re dual-sided: one side is textured to exfoliate, while the other, softer side soothes and hydrates your skin. While they were at a slightly lower price during Prime Day last week, we still think this is a good deal.
Touchland Power Mist Hydrating Hand Sanitizer
$8.00$10.00UltaNow 20% off$10.00Sephora$10.00TouchlandOur NBC Select editors love Touchland’s hand sanitizer sprays because they’re easy to use, portable and smell great. Plus, they don’t dry out your hands or leave a chemical-like smell like most hand sanitizers do.
Best July Fourth sales
Below, I rounded up the best July Fourth sales to shop right now across retailers and brands. I’ll continue updating this throughout the holiday.
- Target: Up to 40% off swimwear, tech, sunscreens, shoes and more through July 4
- Best Buy: Up to 45% off tech, home appliances and more through July 5
- The Home Depot: Save on grills, lawn care, outdoor furniture and more during its Red, White & Blue Savings Event through July 8
- Ulta: Up to 40% off during the Big Summer Beauty Sale through July 11
- REI: Up to 50% off outdoor gear and apparel
- Wayfair: Up to 70% off sitewide
- Lowe’s: Up to 45% off select major appliances
- Macy’s: Up to 60% off summer items through July 5
- Lands’ End: Up to 70% off sitewide using code POOLPARTY
- Crate & Barrel: Up to 60% off furniture, cookware and more
- Pottery Barn: Extra 20% off sale items
Best July Fourth furniture sales
- Lovesac: Up to 40% off sitewide through July 5
- Joybird: Up to 50% off ready-to-ship items and up to 35% off sitewide through July 7
- Koala: Up to 30% off sitewide
- Sundays: Up to 25% off select items during its Long Weekend Sale through July 5
- AllModern: Up to 60% off outdoor furniture, decor and more
- Article: Up to 40% off select furniture items
- Castlery: Up to 40% off select items through July 5
Best July Fourth apparel sales
- Lulu’s: Up to 30% off sale items and swimwear using code TIME2SAVE
- Athleta: Up to 60% off during its Semi-Annual Sale
- Gap: Up to 50% off shorts, tees, swim and more during its Summer Sale
- Gola: Up to 50% off select styles through July 5
- Lululemon: Up to 30% off during its Summer Sale
- Merrell: Up to 40% off select styles during its Summer Sale
- Comrad: Up to 65% off sitewide using code JULY25
- Poppy & Peonies: Up to 70% off through July 5
- Reima: Up to 50% off sitewide through July 6
Best July Fourth mattress and bedding sales
- Brooklinen: Up to 25% off bedding, towels and more
- Casper: Up to 35% off sitewide
- Naturepedic: Up to 20% off mattresses and bedding
- Purple: Save up to $800 on mattresses and bases through July 7
- Boll & Branch: Up to 40% off select styles and up to 20% off sitewide
- Amerisleep: Up to 40% off bed frames, mattress toppers and more
- Serta: Save up to $900 on mattresses and adjustable base sets through July 7
- Beautyrest: Save up to $1000 on select mattress + adjustable base sets through July 7
- Tuft & Needle: Up to 25% off bundles through July 7
- Garnet Hill: Up to 70% off sitewide
Best July Fourth beauty sales
- Dolce Glow: Up to 20% off sitewide through July 4
- Athena Club: Up to 20% off sets through July 7
- iRestore: Up to 50% off select red light therapy devices and bundles through July 6
- Dermstore: Up to 40% off sale items using code EXTRA10 through July 9
Best July Fourth home and kitchen sales
- Caraway: Up to 40% off cookware bundles
- Papier: Up to 30% off sitewide through July12
- Current: Up to 30% off grills and grilling accessories
- Yellow Leaf Hammocks: Up to 25% off sitewide
- Solo Stove: Up to 20% off select cooking gear
Best July Fourth travel sales
- July: Up to 30% off select travel bags
- Samsonite: Up to 40% off select luggage and sets
- Delsey Paris: Up to 20% off curated travel bundles, luggage sets and accessories through July 5
Best July Fourth baby and family sales
- Newton Baby: Up to 25% off
- Lalo: Up to 35% off select items through July 6
- Baby Brezza: Up to 30% off through July 6
- Love to Dream: Up to 30% off select items through July 12
Why are these July Fourth deals worth it?
The Fourth of July historically offers some of the lowest prices of the year on big ticket items like mattresses, outdoor furniture, grills and major appliances. All of my recommendations above are based on NBC Select’s previous coverage and reporting. I also included products the NBC Select staff has tested. I evaluated the quality of these deals by running them through price trackers like CamelCamelCamel, and I only included ones that:
- Are 20% off or more
- Are at their lowest price in at least three months (with the exception of last week’s Prime Day deals)
- Are highly rated with at least a 4-star average rating from hundreds of customers on Amazon
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m an editor at NBC Select who has regularly covered major sale events, including July Fourth, Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day, since 2021. For this article, I spent weeks searching for the best Fourth of July deals based on our past reporting and editor-tested products.
Catch up on NBC Select’s in-depth coverage of tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
Deal of the Day
Bril Portable Toothbrush Case
$24.99$34.99BrilNow 29% off
Mili GodioMili Godio is an editor for NBC Select. Her expertise lies in wellness, skin care, pets, home and kitchen, and travel.
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Bril Portable Toothbrush Case
$24.99$34.99BrilNow 29% offHoliday heat wave: As temperature climbs across much of U.S., so does the danger
Around 162 million under heat alerts02:01June 30, 2026, 4:59 PM EDT / Source: The Associated PressBy The Associated PressDETROIT — Nature’s oven was on high Tuesday for millions of people in the Midwest and Great Lakes states as intense heat and humidity baked the regions with no immediate relief before the misery shifts to the eastern U.S.
The National Weather Service was blunt: Conditions were “dangerous” as the heat index, a combination of air temperature and humidity, exceeded 100 degrees Fahrenheit in some areas. It warned about a risk for heat-related illnesses, especially among people without air conditioning.
Detroit’s air temperature was in the high 90s, the Weather Service said, and could even reach 100 at some point through Thursday. The city said a dozen recreation centers were open, some until 11 p.m., for people to cool off. Big chunks of Michigan, as well as Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and much of Iowa, were under an extreme heat warning.
The Northeast, including New York City and Boston, will next feel major heat through the Fourth of July holiday. Norristown, Pennsylvania, 20 miles from Philadelphia, canceled a Saturday parade because of the weather.
Philadelphia declared a heat emergency, Wednesday through Saturday, and said 50 cooling centers will operate with extended hours. The city said visitors will find misting tents, water refill stations and medical stations at the free World Cup fan festival at East Fairmount Park.
When the heat’s on, people adjust
The Chicago History Museum offered free admission to state residents who wanted a cool space Tuesday. Roads in a few places in Illinois buckled under the heat. When the surface has no room to expand in the heat, it can rise and crack.
00:48Millions of Americans brace for scorching heatwave
00:0000:00At 9:15 a.m., window washer Stephen Mason, 72, was wiping mayflies off glass at a Detroit convenience store. He got an early start to avoid the worst conditions of the day, but it was already 85.
“It’s the only way to beat it. But it’s already starting to cook out here,” Mason said.
Adam Schubatis, 36, a runner who was shirtless in Detroit’s Indian Village neighborhood, said he was cutting his route to 6 miles.
“I know where all the drinking fountains are,” he said. “My wife thought I was crazy. She offered to pick me up if I got tired or if there was anything I was doing that wasn’t safe.”
A dog’s day can be ‘miserable’
In Milwaukee, more than 100 firefighters spent hours controlling a fire at a school in the extreme heat. Fire Chief Aaron Lipski said crews were rotating and shedding their thick coats while they rehydrated.
Overnight low temperatures were in the 70s in many places, which doesn’t give the body a chance to cool down naturally, said Dr. Kisha Davis, health officer for Montgomery County, Maryland.
“The heat stress will compound day after day,” said Davis, who added that alcohol and soda, popular holiday drinks, are dehydrating.
In Jackson, Mississippi, where the afternoon heat index exceeded 100 F, massive fans tried to keep about 100 dogs cool at an old mattress warehouse that serves as a shelter for Community Animal Rescue and Adoption.
“It’s miserable. … We try to keep everybody hydrated back there. Dogs and people,” said kennel manager Raquel Burney.
Cooling it forward
George Liller, 64, was a hero in Grosse Pointe Park, a Detroit suburb. He added air conditioning to his home, so he offered a window unit for free on Facebook — extension cord and remote control included.
“It was probably on my porch maybe 15 minutes,” Liller said. “That air conditioner was given to me. I thought, ‘Somebody needs it.’ I know how it feels to be in an old house when it’s this hot.”
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