BTS Member RM Curates New SFMOMA Art Exhibition

The San Francisco museum hosts RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me, featuring 142 private works.

Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Fine Art

Bold vector editorial illustration of a clean, empty sculpture plinth in a minimalist art gallery space. — SFMOMA reported record ticket sales following the launch of RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me, a private art exhibition by BTS member RM. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art opened an exhibition in October 2026 showcasing the private collection of BTS member RM. The showcase, titled RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me, has generated record-breaking ticket sales for the museum.

Why it matters

The exhibition aims to revitalize the museum following a $5 million deficit and a 7.5% workforce reduction reported last year. By partnering with the musician, the institution seeks to reach a targeted annual attendance of 600,000 visitors.

The exhibition features 142 works from RM's collection and 36 pieces from the museum, totaling 178 items on display. Exhibition merchandise sold out within three hours of the October 2026 opening.

The players

RM is a prominent member of the South Korean music group BTS and an avid collector of fine art.

SFMOMA

The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is a leading cultural institution in Northern California focused on contemporary art.

The details

The exhibition includes a diverse mix of paintings, calligraphy, sculpture, and a Pokémon animation cel. RM provided personal text labels for the pieces, and the museum offers an audio guide featuring a playlist curated by the artist.

The exhibition RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me opened in October 2026.
SFMOMA laid off 7.5% of its workforce in 2025.
Brooklyn Museum hosted an exhibition featuring Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys in 2024.
RM released his solo album Indigo in 2022.
Artist Lee Ungno painted the Gwangju uprising in 1980.

Industry Dynamics

This collaboration mirrors the strategy seen in the 2024 Brooklyn Museum exhibition of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys, which utilized celebrity influence to draw broader audiences to fine art spaces. These partnerships signal a growing reliance on high-profile figures to combat industry-wide shifts toward declining physical museum attendance.

Visitors can access the collection through standard museum entry, though the rapid sell-out of merchandise suggests high demand for limited-edition items. The collaboration provides fans with a unique opportunity to view RM's private collection alongside historical pieces from the museum's permanent holdings.

The takeaway

Collaborating with high-profile cultural figures has proven effective in driving immediate attendance and interest for institutional spaces. Museumgoers can implement similar engagement strategies by looking for crossover events that bridge pop culture interests with traditional gallery experiences.