The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art revealed the six finalist teams’ concepts in the competition to transform the museum with a dynamic, open and inviting design. The expansion project’s goal is to attract new audiences by creating vibrant spaces to host more art, and new immersive and interactive creative experiences for the community.
The concepts – devised by some of the most respected designers working in museum architecture today – are now available to view in an online gallery on the competition website at competitions.malcolmreading.com/nelson-atkins/gallery. They can also be seen in a free exhibition at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Building Belonging: Designing the future of the Nelson-Atkins, that open now through June 1. The public is invited to comment at the exhibition or through the portal nelson-atkins.org/architectural-competition-comments.
“We asked for bold, inspiring moves that also respected the existing museum campus and I’m so happy to say we’ve received them in these initial designs,’ says Julián Zugazagoitia, Director & CEO of the Nelson-Atkins, “Each is a fascinating response to a complex project brief, together they bring myriad perspectives. The teams have shone their beams of thought on our big questions: how do we synthesize our existing icons with a new proposition? How do we modernize and embrace the future but keep the best of our history? And, most of all, how do we create a museum that is transparent for all and instills a sense of belonging and well-being?”
The museum’s Architect Selection Committee (ASC) will meet in late Spring to interview the finalists and make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees. Following ratification and the winning team’s appointment, the chosen design will be refined in close partnership with the museum and its stakeholders, including local communities.
The museum’s Board of Trustees aims to broaden the conventions of the museum – which offers free general admission – so it continues evolving as a place where everyone feels they belong. The project will integrate the campus, the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park, and the two existing buildings into a cohesive new experience.
The first stage of the competition, which launched in October 2024, attracted 182 teams from 30 countries on six continents.
