Penn State Board Approves Architect for New $71M Art Museum Project

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA—The Penn State University Board of Trustees has proposed the construction of a new freestanding art museum on the University Park campus that would be located in The Arboretum at Penn State.

The plan for the new museum building would encompass approximately 68,000 square feet to 73,000 square feet, with a total project budget of $71.1 million. The project would be funded by Penn State’s five-year capital plan that runs through 2023. The cost of the new art museum could increase to as much as $85 million with philanthropic support. Final project plans and costs are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees.

The design phase of the project will commence immediately, with construction—pending board approval—expected to begin in late 2020 for a planned opening in the fall of 2022, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of an art museum at Penn State.

The Penn State Board of Trustees approved the selection of Allied Works as the architect to design the new University Art Museum at its meeting on Friday, May 3. Allied Works was selected based on its extensive experience in the design of arts and educational facilities and for its interdisciplinary, research based, and collaborative approach to architecture, the board stated.

The firm, founded by Brad Cloepfil in 1994 in Portland, OR, is internationally recognized for its innovative arts, cultural and civic buildings, including academic art museums and art schools at higher-education institutions. Examples of the firm’s work include the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, the Seattle Art Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design in New York City, the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art.

The proposed University Art Museum would replace the existing Palmer Museum of Art and include expanded gallery and exhibition space, providing greater access to its 9,300-object collection; enhanced learning, creative and social opportunities for students; and areas for events and community gatherings, while continuing and expanding the Palmer Museum’s role as a cultural, educational and scholarly resource for the Penn State community and visitors.

Under the plan, the existing Palmer Museum of Art building on Curtin Road and the signature bronze lion’s paws that flank its front steps would remain, as a student-focused space. A task force has been assembled to determine exactly how the student space could be utilized.

“The new art museum would allow us to advance Penn State’s teaching and research mission while serving as the cultural gateway to the University,” says Erin M. Coe, director of the Palmer Museum of Art. “The new facility would greatly expand public access to our growing collections in an exceptional setting while offering innovative and engaging experiences for our students, the community, and visitors from around the world.”

The proposed location of the museum is along Bigler Road near the entrance to the Arboretum, across from the Lewis Katz Building and adjacent to the H.O. Smith Botanic Gardens, with the exact site to be determined in consultation with the selected design firm.

“This project would fulfill our long-standing vision of the Arboretum as a venue for the arts as well as a place of beauty and education about the natural world,” says Kim Steiner, professor of forest biology and director of The Arboretum at Penn State. “The Arboretum is already one of the most popular destinations for visitors to the area. With this inspired partnership, I expect us to develop into a regional and national destination.”