Philadelphia Museum of Art

Project Details

Project Description

FROM THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM OF ART:

The Philadelphia Museum of Art has officially begun the Core Project, a physical transformation and renovation of its main building led by visionary architect Frank Gehry. As the next phase in the implementation of the Museum’s Facilities Master Plan, the Core Project will add 67,000 square feet of new public space, an additional 11,500 square feet for the display of the Museum’s rich holdings of American art, and an equal amount of gallery space for the presentation of contemporary art. Combining much-needed infrastructure improvements with a reorganization of circulation at the heart of the building, the Core Project will greatly improve the experience of the Museum for its visitors, dramatically enhance access for the community, and provide more room for the display of its renowned collection. The Museum will remain open to the public and fully operational throughout the construction period, which will be completed in approximately three years. Budgeted at $196 million, the Core Project is part of a larger fundraising effort—It Starts Here: Campaign for the Philadelphia Museum of Art—that will enable the Museum to achieve ambitious goals in education and public programming, improved access and Timothy Rub, The George D. Widener Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Philadelphia Museum of Art; Frank Gehry in the Vaulted Walkway at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Photo courtesy Philadelphia Museum of Art. community outreach, and the innovative use of new technologies to fulfill its mission and more effectively engage the next generation of audiences, locally as well as internationally. This $525 million comprehensive campaign will renew and improve the Museum’s landmark main building, strengthen its endowment, and support new initiatives that will ensure that it remains one of the city’s most dynamic public institutions and a leader among its peers. The largest cultural fundraising campaign in Philadelphia’s history, It Starts Here has already raised more than $326 million, or just over 62% of its total goal. Three Trustees are spearheading this effort as Campaign Co-chairs: Barbara B. Aronson, David Haas, and Katherine Sachs. Trustee Bruce E. Toll serves as the Campaign’s Vice Chair. To date, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has received generous lead contributions for It Starts Here from Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest, the late Robert L. McNeil, Jr., and Constance and Sankey Williams. Additional leadership gifts have come from the late Daniel W. Dietrich II, David Haas, Keith L. and Katherine Sachs, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the City of Philadelphia. With such early and strong support in hand as it breaks ground, the Museum is assured of achieving the campaign goals and completing the Core Project.