Buildings

US Art Museums

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By some calculations there are more than 16,000 museums in the United States. While the collections they hold are often priceless, the facilities that contain them are frequently significant, especially amidst the recent museum-building boom led by world-class architects. The following chart, while not comprehensive, lists architecturally significant US art museums.

Art MuseumLocationArchitects (original)OpenedArchitects (expansion)
Akron Art MuseumAkron, OHDalton, van Dijk, Johnson & Partners (conversion of the original 1899 post office)1981Coop Himmelb(l)au (Austria) with Westlake Reed Leskosky, 2007 John S. and James L. Knight Building
Albright-Knox Art GalleryBuffalo, NYEdward B. Green1905Skimore, Owings & Merrill, 1961 addition
Allen Memorial Art MuseumOberlin, OHCass Gilbert1917Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, 1977 addition
American Folk Art MuseumNew York, NYTod Williams Billie Tsien & Associates2001
Amon Carter MuseumFt. Worth, TXPhilip Johnson1961Johnson/Burgee Architects, 1977 expansion; Philip Johnson/Alan Ritchie Architects, 2001 expansion
Anchorage Museum of History and ArtAnchorage, AKKirk, Wallace, and McKinley with Schultz/Maynard1968Kenneth Maynard Associates, 1974 addition; Mitchell/Giurgola Architects with Maynard and Partch, 1986 addition; David Chipperfield Architects with Kumin Associates Inc., 2009 and 2010 expansion
Art Institute of ChicagoChicago, ILShepley, Rutan, and Coolidge1893Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 1977 Arthur Rubloff Building; Hammond, Beebe and Babka, 1988 Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Building; Renzo Piano Building Workshop, with Interactive Design Inc., 2009 Modern Wing
Art Museum of South TexasCorpus Christi, TXPhilip Johnson1972Legorreta + Legorreta (Mexico) with Dykema Architects, 2006 William B. and Maureen Miller Building
Arthur M. Sackler Museum Cambridge, MAJames Stirling Michael Wilford and Associates (UK)1985
Asian Art MuseumSan Francisco, CAGae Aulenti (Italy) with Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, LDA Architects, and Robert Wong Architects (adapted the 1917 main library by George Kelham)2003
Baltimore Museum of ArtBaltimore, MDJohn Russell Pope1929John Russell Pope, 1937 Jacobs Wing; Wrenn, Lewis & Jancks, 1950 May Wing, 1956 Woodward Wing and 1957 Cone Wing; Bower Lewis Thrower Architects, 1994 West Wing for Contemporary Art
Barnes FoundationMerion, PAPaul Philippe Cret1925
Bass Museum of ArtMiami, FLB. Robert Swartburg (adapted the 1930 Miami Beach Library by Russell Pancoast)1964Arata Isozaki & Associates (Japan) with Spillis Candela DMJM, 2002 expansion
Bechtler Museum of Modern ArtCharlotte, NCMario Botta2010
Bellevue Art Museum Bellevue, WASteven Holl Architects2001
Berkeley Art Museum + Pacific Film ArchiveBerkeley, CAMario J. Ciampi & Associates1970
Birmingham Museum of ArtBirmingham, ALWarren, Knight and Davis1959Warren, Knight and Davis, 1965 west wing, 1967 east wing, 1974 expansion, 1979 addition, and 1980 expansion; Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates, 1993 expansion
Bowdoin College Museum of ArtBrunswick, MEMcKim, Mead and White1894Machdo and Silvetti Associates, 2007 entry pavilion
Brooklyn MuseumBrooklyn, NYMcKim, Mead, and White1897Prentice & Chan, Ohlhausen, 1978 addition; Arata Isozaki & Associates (Japan) and James Stewart Polshek & Partners, 1991 Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Auditorium; Polshek Partnership Architects, 2004 front entrance and public plaza addition
Butler Institute of American ArtYoungstown, OHMcKim, Mead and White1919Paul Boucherie, 1931 north and south wings; C. Robert Buchanan & Associates, 1967 addition; Buchanan, Ricciuti & Associates, 1986 west wing addition
Chazen Museum of Art (formerly Elvehjem Museum of Art)Madison, WIHarry Weese1970Machado and Silvetti and Associates with Continuum Architects + Planners, 2011 expansion
Cincinnati Art MuseumCincinnati, OHJames McLaughlin1886Daniel H. Burnham, 1907 Schmidlapp Wing; Garber and Woodward, 1910 Ropes Wing and 1930 Emery, Hanna & French Wings; Rendigs, Panzer and Martin, 1937 Alms Wing; Potter, Tyler, Martin and Roth, 1965 Adams-Emery Wing
Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland, OHBenjamin Hubbell and W. Dominick Benes1916J. Byers Hays and Paul C. Ruth, 1958 addition; Marcel Breuer and Hamilton P. Smith, 1971 addition; Dalton, van Dijk, Johnson & Partners, 1984 addition; Rafael Viñoly Architects, 2009 East Wing
Clyfford Still MuseumDenver, COAllied Works Architecture2011
Colorado Springs Fine Arts CenterColorado Springs, COJohn Gaw Meem1936
Columbus Museum of ArtColumbus, OHRichards, McCarty and Bulford1931Van Buren and Firestone, Architects, Inc., 1974 addition
Contemporary Art Museum St. LouisSt. Louis, MOAllied Works Architecture2003
Contemporary Arts Museum, HoustonHouston, TXGunnar Birkerts and Associates1972
Corcoran Gallery of ArtWashington, DCErnest Flagg1897Charles Platt, 1927 expansion
Cranbrook Art MuseumCranbrook, MIEliel Saarinen1941Rafael Moneo (Spain), 2002 addition
Crocker Art MuseumSacramento, CASeth Babson (architect of the original 1872 Crocker family mansion and art gallery)1978Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architect with HMR Architects, Inc., 2010 expansion
Crystal Bridges Museum of American ArtBentonville, ARMoshe Safdie2011
Dallas Museum of ArtDallas, TXEdward Larrabee Barnes Associates1984Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates, 1985 decorative arts wing and 1991 Nancy and Jake L. Hamon Building
Dayton Art InstituteDayton, OHEdward B. Green1930Levin Porter Associates, Inc., 1997 expansion
de Young MuseumSan Francisco, CAHerzog & de Meuron (Switzerland) with Fong & Chan Architects2005
Denver Art MuseumDenver, COGio Ponti (Italy) with James Sudler Associates1971Studio Daniel Libeskind with Davis Partnership Architects, 2006 Frederic C. Hamilton Building
Denver Museum of Contemporary ArtDenver, COAdjaye/Associates (UK)2006
Des Moines Art CenterDes Moines, IAEliel Saarinen1948I.M. Pei & Associates, 1968 addition; Richard Meier & Partners Architects; 1985 addition
Detroit Institute of ArtsDetroit, MIJames Balfour1888Cret, Zantzinger, Borie and Medary, 1927 addition; Harley, Ellington, Cowin and Stirton, with Gunnar Birkerts and Associates, 1966 south wings; Harley, Ellington, Cowin and Stirton, 1966 north wing; Michael Graves & Associates with SmithGroup, 2007 expansion
Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, Michigan State UniversityEast Lansing, MIZaha Hadid (UK)2012
Elvehjem Museum of ArtMadison, WIHarry Weese1970
Everson Museum of ArtSyracuse, NYI.M. Pei & Associates1968
Figge Art MuseumDavenport, IADavid Chipperfield Architects (UK) with Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck Architecture2005
Fogg Art MuseumCambridge, MACoolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch, and Abbott1927
Frances Lehman Loeb Art CenterPoughkeepsie, NYCesar Pelli & Associates1993
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Norman, OKHoward and Smais1971Hugh Newell Jacobsen, 2005 Mary and Howard Lester Wing
Frederick R. Weisman Art MuseumMinneapolis, MNFrank O. Gehry and Associates, Inc.1993Gehry Partners, 2011 addition
Freer Gallery ArtWashington, DCCharles A. Platt1923
Frist Center for the Visual ArtsNashville, TNTuck Hinton Architects (adapted the 1934 U.S. Post Office by Marr and Holman Architects)2001
Frost Art Museum, Florida International UniversityMiami, FLHellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum2008
Frye Art MuseumSeattle, WAPaul Albert Thiry1952Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects, 1997 expansion
Grand Rapids Art MuseumGrand Rapids, MIwHY Architecture with Design Plus2007
Herbert F. Johnson Museum of ArtIthaca, NYI.M. Pei & Partners1973Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, 2011 expansion
High Museum of ArtAtlanta, GARichard Meier & Partners Architects1983Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Italy) with Lord, Aeck and Sargent, Inc., 2005 addition
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture GardenWashington, DCSkidmore, Owings & Merrill1974
Hood Museum of ArtHanover, NHCharles Moore and Centerbrook Architects and Planners1985
Hunter Museum of American ArtChattanooga, TNMead and Garfield (architects of the 1905 mansion adapted to a museum in 1952)1952Derthick, Henley and Wilkerson Architects, 1975 addition; Randall Stout Architects with Derthick, Henley and Wilkerson Architects and Hefferlin + Kronenberg Architects, 2005 addition
Indiana University Art MuseumBloomington, INI.M. Pei & Partners1982
Indianapolis Museum of ArtIndianapolis, INRichardson, Severns, Scheeler and Associates1970Edward Larrabee Barnes Associates and John M.Y. Lee, 1990 Mary Fendrich Hulman Pavilion; Browning Day Mullins Dierdorf Architects, 2005 expansion
Institute for Contemporary ArtBoston, MADiller Scofidio + Renfro2006
Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center for Visual Arts Stanford, CAPercy & Hamilton Architects with Ernest J. Ransome1894Polshek Partnership Architects, 1999 addition
Isabella Stewart Gardner MuseumBoston, MAWillard T. Sears1903Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Italy), 2012 expansion
J. Paul Getty Museum Los Angeles, CARichard Meier & Partners Architects1997
Joslyn Art MuseumOmaha, NEJohn and Alan McDonald1931Foster and Partners (UK), 1994 Walter and Suzanne Scott Pavilion
Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art and DesignKansas City, MOGunnar Birkerts and Associates1994
Kimbell Art MuseumFort Worth, TXLouis I. Kahn1972
Kreeger Museum Washington, DCPhilip Johnson with Richard Foster1967
Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for Contemporary ArtCincinnati, OHZaha Hadid Architects (UK) with KZF Design2003
Los Angeles County Museum of ArtLos Angeles, CAWilliam L. Pereira & Associates1965Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, 1986 Art of the Americas Building; Bruce Goff 1988 Pavilion for Japanese Art; Albert C. Martin and Associates, 1998 LACAMA West building (originally the 1946 May Co. building); Renzo Piano Building Workshop, 2008 Broad Contemporary Art Museum
Mead Art MuseumAmherst, MAMcKim, Mead and White1949
Memphis Brooks Museum of ArtMemphis, TNJames Gamble Rogers with Carl Gutherz1916Walk Jones and Francis Mah, 1973 addition; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill with Askew, Nixon, Ferguson & Wolf, 1989 expansion
Menil CollectionHouston, TXRenzo Piano Building Workshop (Italy) with Richard Fitzgerald & Partners1987
Metropolitan Museum of ArtNew York, NYCalvert Vaux and J. Wrey Mould1880Theodore Weston, 1888 SW wing; Richard Morris Hunt and Richard Howland Hunt, 1902 Central Fifth Avenue facade; McKim, Mead and White, 1906, side wings along Fifth Avenue; Brown, Lawford & Forbes, 1965 Thomas J. Watson Library; Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates, 1975 Lehman Wing, 1979 Sackler Wing, 1980 American Wing, 1981 Michael C. Rockefeller Wing for Primitive Art, 1988 European Sculpture and Decorative Art Wing; Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates, 2012 American Wing renovation
Milwaukee Art MuseumMilwaukee, WIEero Saarinen with Maynard Meyer1957Kahler, Fitzhugh and Scott, 1975 addition; Santiago Calatrava (Spain) with Kahler Slater Architects, 2001 Quadracci Pavilion
Minneapolis Institute of ArtsMinneapolis, MNMcKim, Mead and White1915Kenzo Tange Associates (Japan), 1974 addition; Michael Graves & Associates with RSP Architects, 2006 Target Wing
Modern Art Museum of Ft. WorthFt. Worth, TXTadao Ando (Japan)2002
Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts InstituteUtica, NYPhilip Johnson1960Lund McGee Sharpe Architecture, 1995 Education Wing
Museum of Arts and DesignNew York, NYAllied Works Architecture, 2008 renovation of the 1965 building by Edward Durrell Stone & Associates2008
Museum of Contemporary Art, ChicagoChicago, ILJosef Paul Kleihues (Germany)1996
Museum of Contemporary Art/Denver Denver, COAdjaye/Associates2007
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (at California Plaza)Los Angeles, CAArata Isozaki & Associates (Japan)1986
Museum of Contemporary Art, San DiegoLa Jolla, CAIrving Gill (originally designed as a residence in 1916)1941Mosher & Drew, 1950 transition to museum; Mosher & Drew, 1959 Sherwood Auditorium; Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, 1996 expansion and renovation
Museum of Fine Arts, BostonBoston, MAGuy Lowell1909Guy Lowell, 1915 Robert Dawson Evans Wing; John Singer Sargent, 1921, 1925 Rotunda and Colonnade; Guy Lowell, 1928 Decorative Arts Wing; Hugh Stubbins & Associates, 1968 Forsyth Wickes Galleries and 1970 George Robert White Wing; I.M. Pei & Partners, 1981 West Wing; Foster + Partners (UK) with Childs Bertman Tseckares, 2010 Art of the Americas Wing and Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Family Courtyard
Museum of Fine Arts, HoustonHouston, TXWilliam Ward Watkin1924Kenneth Franzheim, 1953 Robert Lee Blaffer Memorial Wing; Mies van der Rohe, 1958 Cullinan Hall and 1974 Brown Pavilion; Isamu Noguchi (Japan), 1986 Lillie and Hugh Roy Cullen Sculpture Garden; Rafael Moneo (Spain), 2000 Audrey Jones Beck Building
Museum of Fine Arts, St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg, FLJohn L. Volk1965Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum, 2008 Hazel Hough Wing
Museum of Modern ArtNew York, NYPhilip L. Goodwin and Edward Durrell Stone & Associates1939Philip Johnson, 1964 east wing; Cesar Pelli & Associates, 1984 tower; Taniguchi Associates (Japan) with Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and Cooper, Robertson & Partners, 2004 expansion and 2006 Lewis B. and Dorothy Cullman Education Building
Nasher Museum of ArtDurham, NCRafael Viñoly Architects2005
Nasher Sculpture CenterDallas, TXRenzo Piano Building Workshop (Italy) with Peter Walker and Partners2003
National Gallery of Art, East BuildingWashington, DCI.M. Pei & Partners1978
National Gallery of Art, West BuildingWashington, DCJohn Russell Pope1941
National Portrait Gallery and American Art MuseumWashington, DCFaulkner, Stenhouse, Fryer (adapted the 1836-67 Old Patent Office Building by Robert Mills and Thomas Ustick Walter)1968Foster + Partners (UK) with SmithGroup, 2007 Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard
Nelson-Atkins Museum of ArtKansas City, MOWight and Wight1933Steven Holl Architects with BNIM Architects, 2007 Bloch Building
Nelson Fine Arts Center Tempe, AZAntoine Predock Architect1989
Nevada Museum of ArtReno, NVWill Bruder Architects2003
New Museum of Contemporary ArtNew York, NYSANAA Ltd. with Gensler2007
New Orleans Museum of ArtNew Orleans, LASamuel Marx1911August Perez with Arthur Feitel, 1971 Wisner Education Wing, City Wing, and Stern Auditorium; Eskew Filson Architects with Billes/Manning, 1993 expansion
North Carolina Museum of ArtRaleigh, NCEdward Durell Stone1984Thomas Phifer and Partners with Pierce Brinkley Cease + Lee, 2010 expansion
Oakland Museum of CaliforniaOakland, CAKevin Roche John Dinkeloo & Associates1969
Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of ArtBiloxi, MSGehry Partners; Eley Guild Hardy Architects2010
Parrish Art MuseumSouthampton, NYGrosvenor Atterbury1897Grosvenor Atterbury, 1902 and 1913 wings; Herzog & de Meuron (Switzerland), 2012 expansion
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine ArtsPhiladelphia, PAFrank Furness and George W. Hewitt1876
Philadelphia Museum of ArtPhiladelphia, PAHorace Trumbauer with Zantzinger, Borie, and Medary1928Gluckman Mayner Architects, 2008 renovation of the Perelman Building (originally designed by Zantzinger, Borie, and Medary in 1927)
Phoenix Art MuseumPhoenix, AZAlden B. Dow1959Alden B. Dow, 1965 east wing; Tod Williams Billie Tsien & Associates, 1996 and 2006 expansions
Portland Art MuseumPortland, ORPietro Belluschi1932Pietro Belluschi, 1939 Hirsch Wing; Pietro Belluschi, with Wolff, Zimmer, Gunsul, Frasca, and Ritter, 1970 Hoffman Wing; Ann Beha Architects, 2000 expansion; Ann Beha Architects with SERA Architects, 2005 expansion
Portland Museum of ArtPortland, MEJohn Calvin Stevens1911I.M. Pei & Partners, 1983 Charles Shipman Payson Building
Princeton University Art MuseumPrinceton, NJRalph Adams Cram1922Steinman and Cain, 1966 expansion; Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, 1989 Mitchell Wolfson Jr. Wing
Pulitzer Foundation for the ArtsSt. Louis, MOTadao Ando (Japan)2001
Renwick GalleryWashington, DCJames Renwick Jr.1859John Carl Warnecke & Associates and Hugh Newell Jacobsen, 1971 restoration
Rodin MuseumPhiladelphia, PAPaul Philippe Cret and Jacques Gréber1929
Saint Louis Art MuseumSt. Louis, MOCass Gilbert1903
Salvador Dali MuseumSt. Petersburg, FLHellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum2011
San Diego Museum of ArtSan Diego, CAWilliam Templeton Johnson with Robert W. Snyder1926Robert Mosher & Roy Drew, Architects, 1966 west wing; Mosher, Drew, Watson & Associates with William Ferguson, 1974 east wing
San Francisco Museum of Modern ArtSan Francisco, CAMario Botta (Italy)1995
Santa Barbara Museum of ArtSanta Barbara, CADavid Adler (adapted the 1914 Old Post Office designed by Francis Wilson)1941Chester Carjola, 1942 Katherine Dexter McCormick Wing; Arendt/Mosher/Grants Architects, 1961 Preston Morton Wing and 1962 Sterling Morton Wing; Paul Gray, 1985 Alice Keck Park Wing; Edwards & Pitman, 1998 Peck Wing
Seattle Art MuseumSeattle, WAVenturi, Scott Brown and Associates1991Allied Works Architecture with NBBJ, 2007 expansion
Shaw Center for the ArtsBaton Rouge, LASchwartz/Silver Architects with Eskew+Dumez+Ripple and Jerry M. Campbell Associates2005
Sheldon Memorial Art GalleryLincoln, NEPhilip Johnson1963
Solomon R. Guggenheim MuseumNew York, NYFrank Lloyd Wright1959Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects, 1992 addition
Speed Art MuseumLouisville, KYArthur Loomis1927Nevin and Morgan, 1954 Preston Pope Satterwhite Wing; Brenner, Danforth, and Rockwell, 1973 north wing; Robert Geddes, 1983 south wing
Sterling and Francine Clark Art InstituteWilliamstown, MADaniel Perry1955Pietro Belluschi and The Architects Collaborative, 1973 addition; Tadao Ando Architect & Associates (Japan) and Gensler, 2008 Stone Hill Center
Tacoma Art MuseumTacoma, WAAntoine Predock Architect with Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects2003
Tampa Museum of ArtTampa, FLNatoma Architects2010
Taubman Museum of ArtRoanoke, VARandall Stout Architects with Rodriguez Ripley Maddux Motley Architects2008
Terra Museum of American ArtChicago, ILBooth Hansen Associates1987
Toledo Museum of ArtToledo, OHEdward B. Green and Harry W. Wachter1912Edward B. Green and Sons, 1926 wing and 1933 expansion; Frank O. Gehry and Associates, Inc., 1992 Center for the Visual Arts addition; SANAA, Ltd. (Japan), 2006 Glass Pavilion
UCLA Hammer Museum of ArtLos Angeles, CAEdward Larrabee Barnes Associates1990
University of Michigan Museum of ArtAnn Arbor, MIDonaldson and Meier Architects1910Allied Works Architecture with IDS , 2009 Maxine and Stuart Frankel and Frankel Family Wing
Vincent Price Art MuseumLos Angeles, CAArquitectonica2011
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Richmond, VAPeebles and Ferguson Architects1936Merrill C. Lee, Architects, 1954 addition; Baskervill & Son Architects, 1970 South Wing; Hardwicke Associates, Inc., 1976 North Wing; Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates, 1985 West Wing; Rick Mather Architect (UK) with SMBW, 2010 addition
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of ArtHartford, CTIthiel Town and Alexander Jackson Davis1844Benjamin Wistar Morris, 1910 Colt Memorial and 1915 Morgan Memorial; Morris & O'Connor, 1934 Avery Memorial; Huntington, Darbee & Dollard, Architects, 1969 Goodwin Wing
Walker Art CenterMinneapolis, MNEdward Larrabee Barnes Associates1971Herzog & de Meuron (Switzerland) with Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, 2005 expansion
Wexner Center for the ArtsColumbus, OHEisenman Architects with Richard Trott & Partners1989
Whitney Museum of American ArtNew York, NYMarcel Breuer and Associates1966Gluckman Mayner Architects, 1998 expansion
Yale Center for British ArtNew Haven, CTLouis I. Kahn1977
Yale University Art GalleryNew Haven, CTLouis I. Kahn1953Ennead Architects, 2012 renovation of Swartwout Hall and Street Hall