The Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) is excited to announce the opening of a $15.4 million expansion, the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion, on Thursday, February 6, 2025. This expansion is doubling the size of the museum and redefining the MMA’s role as a national arts destination.
Named in honor of art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, the new Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion adds four new galleries, including an underground print gallery, two education studios, viewable collections storage, a new gift store, and an outdoor sculpture park. Staff support spaces, such as expanded collections storage, a workshop, and event prep spaces are also part of the museum expansion.
“The MMA will be a national destination while contributing significantly to the cultural and economic success of the Muskegon area.” said Frank Bednarek, MMA Board Chair. “It will continue to be a cultural jewel of our community.”
The Muskegon Museum of Art, established in 1912 through the bequest of Charles Hackley to collect "pictures of the best kind," has significantly grown in its 113 years. The permanent collection currently houses over 5,500 works of art, but due to limited gallery space, only 3% of the collection is able to be displayed at a time. With this new expansion, the historical side of the museum will now showcase more of the MMA’s permanent collection, while the new galleries will focus on rotating exhibitions.
In recent years, the museum has acquisitioned over 600 new works of art, including a generous donation of over 150 figurative realist paintings by women artists from The Bennett Collection. This includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Cassatt, Andrea Kowch, and Zoey Frank, among others. Selections from The Bennett Collection will premiere with the opening of the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion.
Other notable works debuting in the new space include a commissioned glass sculpture by Beth Lipman, a life-size figurative glass piece by Karen LaMonte, and key works by Kehinde Wiley, Edgar Degas, Shirley Woodson, Jonathan Thunder, and more.
The addition of two new education studios will allow the MMA to host classes, workshops, events, and an open art studio, available to visitors during normal museum hours. The largest exhibition gallery, spanning 5,000 sq. ft., will host large-scale rotating exhibitions, such as the upcoming Julia Child: A Recipe for Life exhibition this summer.
Designed by Annum Architects of Boston, in collaboration with Mathison | Mathison Architects of Grand Rapids, the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion is a work of art itself. Constructed by Erhardt Construction with the support of Construction Simplified, the MMA is excited to bring this vision into reality.
Opening Events:
The public is invited to the following celebratory events:
• Opening Reception: Thursday, February 6, 2025 | 5–7 PM
• Family Day Celebration: Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 11 AM–5 PM, featuring kid-friendly activities
For additional information, please contact Kristina Broughton at kbrought@muskegonartmuseum.org or (231)270-2574.
