Ralph Appelbaum Associates

MoMI LAB is a 2,400-square-foot co-creation studio and artist residency space in the renovated basement of the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York. Created as part of the museum’s Open Worlds initiative, the LAB is a free, publicly accessible environment designed to help bridge the digital divide by providing access to emerging technologies.

Conceived as a “living prototype,” the space will evolve through ongoing community participation. Its mission is to transform passive media consumers into active creators and critical thinkers by expanding access to digital tools, fostering technological fluency, and encouraging critical literacy. The LAB also aims to serve as a collaborative “third space” where people can learn, experiment, and solve problems together.

The facility is organized into three areas: an Education Space, a flexible Share Space for workshops and programs, and an Artist-in-Residence studio. Visitors begin at a two-sided activity station, first engaging with quick “Tinker” activities before moving to deeper learning experiences. Programming centers on the theme of Point of View, examining how human perception translates into machine understanding through AI, robotics, physical computing, and spatial technologies. Activities explore stereoscopic vision, machine sensing through sensors and gyroscopes, 3D world generation using emerging visualization techniques, procedural creation, and custom AI tools that encourage exploration.

Designed collaboratively by RAA and MoMI’s education team, the LAB combines adaptable architecture with hands-on learning. Its transparent design helps demystify technology while supporting future modifications and new programming. The LAB opened with artist Rachel Rossin as its first resident, inviting visitors to help shape its ongoing development.