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Key Features

  • The expansion will add 105,000 square feet of new space to the existing 380,000-square-foot museum. Gallery space for the collections and temporary exhibitions will grow by nearly 50%, and visitors will be able to circulate easily through the galleries without having to retrace their steps.

  • The new Atrium, a triple-height "main street," will connect the new building with two existing wings and open onto a new library, museum shop, café, and galleries. Its innovative glass roof will deliver natural light to this central area and surrounding spaces

  • A 40-foot-high glass wall overlooking the Boulevard will signal the purpose of the Museum from the outside by showcasing works of art and revealing public activity within.

  • Glass Beacon, enclosing a stairwell on the north façade, will draw attention to the main entrance and glow softly at night.

  • A new Entrance Plaza facing eastward will create a new Main Entrance to the Museum visible from the Boulevard.

  • To provide expanded gallery space for the art collections and major exhibitions

  • A new School Tour Entrance from the Entrance Plaza will accommodate more school groups and lead to children’s studios, resource rooms, and a gallery.

  • At the heart of the Museum’s new campus, the E. Claiborne and Lora Robins Sculpture Garden will replace 3.5 acres of current parking lot with a magnificent park including leisurely walkways, refreshing water features, flowers, and art.

  • The Robins Sculpture Garden will partially cover a new, highly innovative Parking Deck tucked beneath a terraced, landscaped slope designed for recreation and viewing outdoor performances.
East window at night
This view is of the VMFA expansion from the Boulevard as it will appear at night.
Clicking on the photo opens a new screen.