Martha Wren Briggs Center for Visual Arts
Muscarelle Museum Addition and Renovation
The expanded museum will be a state-of-the-art regional venue for students, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader community to come together to experience world-class exhibitions and robust academic programs. Including but not limited to enhanced and expanded gallery spaces, event hall with lecture seating for 200 and banquet seating for 100 people, welcoming front courtyard for outdoor gatherings, open light-filled atrium with seating for 80, seminar rooms, open study/library room and much needed art storage.
Project Details
- Project Number: 204-90010
- Cost: $43,800,000
- Fund Source: Private Funds
- Square Footage:19,000 gsf renovation, 30,000 gsf addition
- Project Start Date: Feb 2017
- Construction Start: March 2023
- Finish Date: Estimated October 2024
- Project Manager: Adam Witkowski
- Design Team: Odell / Pelli Clarke Pelli
- Contractor: Kjellstrom and Lee, Inc.
- Progress: The site fence was put in place in March, 2023 in anticipation of pending construction activities.
The existing Muscarelle exterior features sharp angles and a dramatic color wall, welcoming patrons to the museum.
A new grand entrance and addition creates a welcoming exterior space in front of the museum.
The aerial perspective of the museum and addition shows how the expanded museum mirrors the form of the existing volume, while adding substantial square footage to the building.
The museum addition takes advantage of the sites natural topography, allowing for occupiable volumes below new gallery space.
A new lobby atrium space unites the existing museum with the addition, and provides a boulevard between the Jamestown Road and Quad sides of the building.
The museum addition will nearly triple the available gallery space.
A multi-purpose event hall will be able to accommodate lecture seating for 200 or banquet seating for 100 people.
