Did you know the Blanton Museum of Art at The University of Texas at Austin will be the first major museum with dedicated outdoor space for sound art ?
The museum, which was founded in 1963 and holds the largest public collection in Central Texas with ~21,000 objects, is currently going through a New Grounds Initiative . This initiative is a comprehensive redesign plan made to unify + revitalize the ~200,000 sqft of museum space.
What you should know
- Project is led by international design firm Snøhetta
- Space will feature a major Carmen Herrera public mural
- Museum will include the Butler Sound Gallery
- Improvements made at the northern + southern gateways to the museum site
- Entrances to the two museum buildings will be marked by protruding vaults
The Moody Patio will be the centerpiece of the project, and will serve as a gathering space between the museum’s two main buildings. This area will also be framed by 15 petal-shaped structures that will create a shade canopy.
Getting into the numbers
There is a $35 million goal to fund the New Grounds Initiative. The museum’s last report in 2020 included details that $33.1 million of that goal had been met.
Some of the funding includes:
- $17.5 million from the Moody Foundation , with an additional $2.5 million to endow the museum’s free admission day on Thursdays
- $5 million from the Still Water Foundation — including a $2 million challenge match to inspire other donors
The museum is currently open for business during its construction. Before you go, check out these visitor entrance updates
. The New Grounds Initiative is expected to be completed in early 2023. Go behind the scenes of the Blanton’s new look here
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