MUSKEGON, Mich. — The Muskegon Museum of Art announced expansion plans Tuesday, March 16. Museum leaders told a small group of supports gathered in the museum's parking lot the $9.9 million expansion is needed to display more of the museum's permanent collection and to accommodate larger touring exhibitions.
A groundbreaking for the expansion is expected later this year with completion of the project expected in 2023.
The MMA’s expansion plans include additional gallery space, classrooms, community space, programming space, art storage and work space a grand hall for major exhibitions and two new galleries for special rotating exhibitions.
The MMA and key supporters have raised $7.2 million of the $9.9 million to complete the expansion project.
"It's going to happen," said MMA Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Frank Bednarek. "Not for anyone of us, it's for Muskegon and it's for the region."
The City of Muskegon vacated interest and ownership to a portions of the alley behind the museum to give the MMA room to expand.
The new galleries will increase permanent collection exhibition space by 222% and temporary exhibition space by 60%, making the museum more of a destination rather than a stopover. MMA Executive Director Kirk Hallman points out that “with current exhibition space and rotating the permanent collection twice annually, it would take over 40 years to show the entire collection.”
Hallman says about 35,000 people visit the museum each year. The expansion is expected to grow the MMA's identity as a regional art museum.
"We're a small maybe hour-and-a-half art museum, we want to be a destination art museum where you could spend a day here," said Hallman.
Community members interested in contributing to the project can do so by visiting www.muskegonartmuseum.org or by calling the MMA at (231) 720-2571.
"The Trustees are committed to keeping the Museum alive, well, and relevant for the next 100 years," said Bednarek. "To do this, we need to expand, grow, and improve the physical plant.”
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