Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts reopens after renovation

The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) reopens on Saturday, April 22, 2023, following an historic renovation project that is dramatically transforming the museum’s main building.

Source: Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) · Image: Aerial View from the North. Construction Progress Photography, September 2022 © Tim Hursley

Designed by world-renowned architect Jeanne Gang and her practice, Studio Gang, the project includes a new 133,000-square-foot building that will house the Windgate Art School, Harriet and Warren Stephens Galleries, Governor Winthrop Rockefeller Lecture Hall, Terri and Chuck Erwin Collections Research Center, a performing arts theater, a modern restaurant, and more.

“For six years, a dedicated team has been working to create an inclusive cultural space that inspires and builds community. Not only will the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts offer an array of visual arts, performing arts, and educational opportunities, it will provide a beautiful venue for people to connect with each other,” said Dr. Victoria Ramirez, AMFA’s Executive Director.

Harriet Stephens, AMFA Capital Campaign Co-Chair and Building Committee Chair, said: “Over the past few years, we’ve been privileged to collaborate with an extraordinary group of architects, artisans, contractors, and skilled tradespeople to re-envision the museum inside and out as a world-class arts destination – and to keep the project moving forward, even through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic. One of our most influential predecessors, Winthrop Rockefeller, always felt this institution was far more than a museum, and it’s been incredibly exciting to see the shared vision for its next chapter come to life.”

AMFA Capital Campaign Co-Chair Warren Stephens commented, “This is an extraordinary project. My family’s roots, like so many others in Arkansas, run deep. So the excitement is thoroughly shared across the state and beyond, as evidenced by the success of the capital campaign, which has now raised $150.4 million, far exceeding our original goal. In fact, today we are announcing a new goal of $155 million.”