Bigger, better design museum reopens in NYC

The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, revamped, restored and expanded after a three-year closure, is reopening at last, all decked out for the 21st century in its historic Carnegie Mansion home just a few blocks up Fifth Avenue from the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Visitors to the museum, which opens on Friday, will be hard-pressed to recognize the old-fashioned, somewhat wonky entity of old. It's now four stories of cutting-edge galleries, hands-on and community-friendly.

The spacious garden, adjoining cafe and gift shop, housed in Andrew Carnegie's 19th-century picture gallery, will be open to the public at no charge.