Expansion and Renovation

Drone image of VMFA grounds taken during the discovery phase of the expansion process

At the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, we’ve begun an expansion and renovation project that will enable us to share more art, welcome more visitors, and provide more enjoyment on a seamless journey through the museum’s collections. We’re delighted to share these exciting plans and keep you abreast of the progress.

In keeping with the museum’s Strategic Plan, which is a public-private partnership, the project will include a new addition of galleries and event spaces, as well as renovations to our current spaces. Here is an outline of the project plans:

The new wing of approximately 170,000 square feet will encompass the following:

A second major suite of special exhibition galleries, equal in size to the current Lower Level special exhibition galleries, allowing for continuously ever-changing world-class exhibitions every day of the year
Extensive new galleries for VMFA’s growing collections of American art, African art, Native American art, and 21st Century art
Accessible and inclusive designs that welcome visitors and staff of all abilities
A dedicated, private, and flexible special events space with the ability to host 500 people for a seated meal
Additional storage for the museum’s growing permanent collections
An additional entrance facing the Sculpture Garden with expanded parking opportunities for visitors

Approximately 45,000 square feet of gallery renovations will include the following:

A more cohesive and seamless presentation of the museum’s collections, including new and expanded gallery spaces for European art and East Asian art
Improvements and enhancements to accessibility for audiences of all ages, abilities, and cultures
A dedicated suite of galleries for the photography collection, roughly five times larger than the current photography gallery
A new Frank Raysor Center for the Study of Works on Paper, which will include public study rooms, conservation, matting, and framing studios for works on paper, as well as special storage for works in these media
A wider stage and other refurbishment in the Leslie Cheek Theater to bring increasingly diverse and expanded performances and productions to VMFA
An expanded Art Education Center with new interactive galleries and classroom spaces
Numerous back-of-house renovations to ensure museum operations can continue to support the museum’s growing collections and programs

Upcoming Events

FAQs

VMFA added a new wing in 2010. Why is another expansion needed?

Soon after the James W. and Frances G. McGlothlin Wing opened in 2010, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) received a significant planned gift from Margaret B. and Arthur G. Glasgow to support the acquisition of new works of art. The museum’s collection has nearly doubled in size since then and now comprises nearly 50,000 works of art, all of which belong to the people of Virginia. The new wing will provide additional galleries to display the permanent collection, a second special exhibition gallery space, and an events space that can seat up to 500 people for dinner. Renovations to existing spaces will allow more works of art to be shown and displayed in a more cohesive, comprehensive way, improving the visitor experience, wayfinding, and access.

When will construction begin? When will the new wing open?

Will the museum close during construction?

We do not anticipate closing the entire museum during construction, and special exhibitions will continue to be available to visitors. While VMFA is undergoing expansion and renovation, some art collections will be removed from the galleries that are impacted by or adjacent to the construction area. More information about which collections will be removed from view and when is forthcoming.

Where will the expansion be located?

How much space will be added with this expansion?

What will the new wing include?

Plans for VMFA’s new wing will include galleries for VMFA’s expanding collections of African, American, Native American, Pre-Columbian, and 21st-Century art, and the American art gallery will double in size. A second major exhibition gallery will ensure that there is a special exhibition for visitors to enjoy 365 days a year, while a new hospitality space will accommodate up to 500 people for special events and seated dining. The new wing will also include behind-the-scenes “work spaces”, such as art storage, workshops for exhibition design and production, a board room equipped with smart technology, and office spaces.

Which spaces in the museum will be renovated?

The galleries along the Great Hall and surrounding Evans Court will be reconfigured to present VMFA’s European art collections in a more coherent and continuous narrative. Additionally, new photography galleries and the Frank Raysor Center for the Study of Works on Paper will occupy the previous location of the American art collections. The Leslie Cheek Theater will be renovated to expand the stage, improve lighting, add assistive listening devices, and bring the space into ADA compliance. Portions of the Westrock Art Education Center will also be renovated and expanded.

Will the Sculpture Garden or the Confederate Memorial Chapel be impacted by the expansion?

No. Preserving the Robins Sculpture Garden is at the forefront of VMFA’s expansion project because it is such an important space for the community. The new wing is situated in an area of the Sculpture Garden adjacent to the 1985 Mellon and Lewis Wing that is rarely used by our visitors. VMFA will maintain four acres of green space, including the areas that our visitors currently use, such as the Belvedere Terrace over the parking deck and the spaces adjacent to the pond and Chihuly’s Red Reeds. The Confederate Memorial Chapel, located on VMFA’s campus, is considered the largest artwork in our collection and will remain on its current site and open throughout the expansion.

What changes will be made to Marble Hall?

How will the construction impact the neighborhood around VMFA? Will the expansion include additional parking?

Who is the architect, and how was that firm selected?

VMFA has selected the international architecture firm SmithGroup to plan and design its next visitor-centered expansion and renovation project. SmithGroup, one of the world’s preeminent integrated design firms, creates exceptional design solutions for healthcare, science and technology organizations, higher education and cultural institutions, urban environments, workplaces, mixed-use and waterfront developments, and parks and open spaces. SmithGroup was selected following an international search that followed the Commonwealth’s established process of architect selection for state projects.

The award-winning firm’s extensive portfolio includes several impressive national museum projects such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collections and Conservation Center in Maryland, the Detroit Institute of Arts in Michigan, as well as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. SmithGroup is currently designing the re-envisioned Thomas Gilcrease Museum of American History and Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The firm’s work is recognized locally as well: SmithGroup designed the concept for the National Slavery Museum at the Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Site/Devil’s Half Acre for the City of Richmond.

How will the project be funded?

Will VMFA charge admission to the new wing?

Members of international architecture firm SmithGroup exploring VMFA's grounds

In June 2021, VMFA announced that it had selected the international architecture firm SmithGroup to plan and design its next visitor-centered expansion and renovation project. SmithGroup, one of the world’s preeminent integrated design firms, creates exceptional design solutions for healthcare, science and technology organizations, higher education and cultural institutions, urban environments, workplaces, mixed-use and waterfront developments and parks and open spaces.

The award-winning firm’s extensive portfolio includes several impressive national museum projects such as the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collections and Conservation Center in Maryland, the Detroit Institute of Arts in Michigan, as well as the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, DC. SmithGroup is currently designing the re-envisioned Thomas Gilcrease Museum of American History and Art in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The firm’s work is recognized locally as well: SmithGroup designed the concept for the National Slavery Museum at the Lumpkin’s Slave Jail Site/Devil’s Half Acre for the City of Richmond.