PHOTO VIA MORSE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art (Website) is breaking ground this summer on its new Jeannette G. and Hugh F. McKean Pavilion, replacing the programming and events building behind its main campus that has served the museum since 1995.
The new pavilion will be built at 161 W. Canton Avenue [GMap], just behind the museum, adding roughly 3,000 SF of interior space and is expected to take at least a year to complete. Construction begins in early summer.
The current building was originally a bank that was minimally adapted for museum use three decades ago. Museum Director and Chief Curator Jennifer Thalheimer said the space has simply not kept pace with how the museum now operates.
“The current building was never designed for the way we use it today, and that presents challenges,” Thalheimer said. “While we are sad to see this building go, as the Museum’s programming grows and technology advances, we need a space that will help us continue reaching new audiences.”
The new design will mirror the architecture of the existing museum campus, functioning as a natural extension of the current structure while modernizing the interior for more flexibility. The pavilion will continue to be used exclusively for museum programming and events and will not be available for outside rentals.
The museum will remain open during construction. Programming will continue at various on-campus locations and offsite venues. Parking on campus will be limited, and visitors are encouraged to use the Park Place garage on Canton Avenue across from the museum, street parking on Park Avenue, or nearby side streets.
