A planned expansion and renovation of the Springfield Art Museum, expected to start next January, “will transform the building and grounds inside and out,” its director, Nick Nelson, said.
In the museum’slatest newsletter, Nelson laid out detailed plans for the project.
He said it will include aesthetic improvements and new experiences for visitors as well as upgrades to climate control systems, replacement of and repairs to roofs and improvements to the exterior building envelope.
He said the improvements will use universal design, which will make the art museum “a leader in accessibility.” Those will include restrooms that are more accessible, a large family restroom with an adult-sized changing table, a lactation suite and a sensory room for visitors on the autism spectrum.
The education wing will be relocated from the southeast corner of the building to the west in order to make it more accessible to students and visitors.
There will be upgrades to the loading dock on the north side to allow for larger art shipments.
The auditorium at the Springfield Art Museum will be turned into a new high-ceiling gallery to accommodate art that the facility is unable to show currently. Another high-ceiling gallery is planned for the southeast corner of the museum facing National. It will feature semi-transparent exterior walls so you can see art even from the outside.
The museum building will close to the public on September 1. Staff plan to take the museum on the road through an initiative called “Art is Everywhere,” which will provide pop-up programming around the community.
The long running “All School Exhibition” will continue during the closure through a partnership with Missouri State University and its Brick City Gallery. Nelson said they plan to announce similar partnerships in the coming months.
