Next Sunday is the last day the Springfield Art Museum will be open for around three years. And, during an open house over the weekend, museum officials announced plans for the interim period.
Museum Director Nick Nelson said they’ll return to their roots and move back to the Wilhoit Building at 431 S. Jefferson downtown. The building played an important role in the institution’s history.
The Springfield Art Museum was founded in 1928 by Deborah Weisel, who was the art department chair at then State Teachers College – now Missouri State University -- and other women in her Art Study Club. One of the women was Della Wilhoit whose husband built the E.M. Wilhoit Building in 1926. When the museum outgrew its first home in the Midtown Carnegie Library in 1929, the Wilhoits offered the museum six rooms in their building, rent free. One of the first exhibitions held at the Wilhoit attracted over 1500 people in its first week, according to Nelson.
"It was in the Wilhoit Building where the first piece of art acquired by the museum was displayed," he said, "and where we established our commitment to partnerships with local artists. Returning to the Wilhoit Building is a testament to our guiding principle over the next few years, which is deepening our roots."
The museum’s Wilhoit Building location is currently being renovated. Nelson expects programs and classes to open to the public there starting with First Friday in February 2025.
Museum staff will host and present programs, events, classes, school visits and select exhibitions during the renovation, which is expected to get underway early next year.
The All School Exhibition, which showcases art by Springfield students in grades K-12, will continue in partnership with MSU and Brick City Gallery. Watercolor USA will continue next year at the George A. Spiva Center for the Arts in Joplin. Community embedded pop-up programs, called Art is Everywhere, are planned, and a partnership with the Springfield-Greene County Library will allow the museum to share select works from its permanent collection with the public.
"We're deeply committed to continuing the museum's arts education and outreach efforts in Springfield and across the region even while the main facility is closed for construction for the next three years," said Nelson.
Springfield Mayor Ken McClure announced Saturday that the museum has raised nearly $38 million toward its $50 million campaign goal.
