To ensure that the museum remained open throughout the 5-year renovation, WHY applied its signature strategy of acupuncture architecture. Working closely with the museum team and community stakeholders, we identified a series of pressure-points for architectural interventions. By taking an iterative and highly localized approach, we were able to preserve the character of the historic building while allowing for greater integration and flow between the different areas of the museum.

One of the most important changes to the existing building was the reconfiguration of the 31 galleries which house the permanent collection. The spaces have been adapted for ease of navigation, and key masterpieces from the collection are highlighted with new interactive displays, specialist casework, and lighting elements which encourage active viewing and provide space for contemplation.

Improved circulation in the entrance hall and courts invites multiple intuitive flows of movement to different areas of the building. Key facilities have been renovated, and gathering spaces such as the lobby and the Koret Education Suites are enhanced with custom furniture designed by the WHY Objects Workshop.

Overall, the new spaces are characterized by WHY’s commitment to a more inclusive and accessible museum experience. The new pavilion is designed to be actively porous to its urban context; the large display windows of the new Wilbur Gallery showcase exhibitions to the world outside, and the roof terrace acts as a platform for showing large-scale murals and sculpture. At the street level, an art wall is a space for new work by local artists, communicating the museum’s civic role within the city and its mission to inspire cross-cultural understanding.