MARLENE YU MUSEUM in New York City

A museum. A movement. A call to experience nature through the power of art.

This museum is more than a museum—it is a movement. It is built upon love—love for nature and each other—via art. It is about increasing awareness and appreciation for our interconnectedness—with others and our planet—using art as our universal language. We welcome everyone to come together and experience nature through the power of art.

In 2001, Marlene Yu established the Rainforest Art Foundation to cultivate a deep love of nature through the international art community and to grow the environmental green movement in art. The mission continues in other countries as well, inspiring the sister Rainforest Art Foundations in Zurich, Frankfurt, Brussels, and Vienna. Though not managed directly by the U.S. nonprofit, these global branches echo Marlene’s call for a collective environmental awakening through the arts.

In 2013, inspired by the hospitality of the South, Marlene’s husband James and daughter Stephanie started the Marlene Yu Museum in Shreveport, Louisiana, to honor her life’s work. The Museum quickly became a vibrant hub for art, community, and environmental consciousness. In 2020, the Museum closed due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Since the pandemic and amid a growing climate crisis, we’re embarking on a bold revival—resuscitating the Marlene Yu Museum and Rainforest Art Foundation under one roof in New York City to amplify the reach of our message. In the heart of the concrete jungle, where many feel disconnected/distracted/jaded, we aim to bridge divides—across cultures, industries, generations, ideologies—and ignite a shared love for nature and each other.

The mission of the Marlene Yu Museum is to preserve and present the art and legacy of Marlene Yu, foster an environment for others to share in her vision, and attract a diverse audience. We cannot wait to see what this new chapter in our history has in store.