Worcester Art Museum Masterplan

Present Helps the Past to Dream About the Future

The Worcester Art Museum (WAM) was founded in 1898 and is the second largest art museum in New England, making it the center of cultural activity in Central Massachusetts. To accommodate its popularity, the WAM suffers from years of ad hoc growth and a sprawling physical facility.

In 2013, WAM commissioned wHY to develop a 10-year phased master plan with a focus on investigating all facets of the museum’s future. In collaboration with the museum’s leadership and Massachusetts’ Cultural Council, wHY is leading a series of workshops and discussions to address topics such as programs, collections, budget, physical footprint and community, among others. Emerging from these discussions will be a strategy for repairing the deteriorating facility infrastructure and tapping into regional funding opportunities. This unique process of developing the long term plan and implementing solutions simultaneously is enabling the WAM to build momentum on many fronts which is critical for the successful transformation of the museum.

A new bridge marks the first improvement in wHY’s plan, restoring function to the Museum’s original entrance – scheduled for completion in 2015.