Art Museum Wing and Collections Center
Skylit galleries and a climate-controlled collections center added to a museum that stayed open to visitors the whole time.
- Owner
- Confidential
- Location
- U.S.
- Our role
- Construction manager at-risk
- Delivery
- CM at-risk
- Scale
- 210,000 SF
- Completed
- 2023
New skylit galleries and a climate-controlled collections center added to a museum that stayed open, with conditions held steady before a single work of art moved.
The museum needed new galleries and secure storage for collections that could not tolerate dust, vibration or swings in temperature and humidity. The new wing joined the existing building at public galleries that stayed open, and lenders required proof that conditions were stable before any loaned work could be hung. Every opening to the old building had to be planned around exhibitions.
The approach.
- 01
Protection plans by gallery
Dust barriers, vibration monitoring and after-hours work zones were agreed gallery by gallery with the registrar and conservators.
- 02
Envelope and controls first
The building envelope and air handling were finished and balanced early, so the clock on stable conditions could start sooner.
- 03
Conditions logged before art
Temperature and humidity were logged and reviewed with conservators until every space held its setpoints through a full season change.
- 04
Openings timed to exhibitions
Connections to the existing galleries were cut between exhibitions, scheduled months ahead with the curatorial team.
The outcome.
“The conservators set the standard and we built the schedule around it. Nothing was hung until the numbers held.”
Project manager, Jacob Wiseman
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