The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is currently under construction in Little Rock’s MacArthur Park. The museum’s pleated roof is complete and AMFA is on track to launch in May 2022.
The museum’s design by Studio Gang in partnership with Polk Stanley Wilcox and SCAPE creates new connections between spaces, with plenty of natural light and opportunities for discovery.
“From the outset, the goal of this project has been to make accessible the very best of art and architecture to Little Rock,” said AMFA executive director, Victoria Ramirez.
“In working with Studio Gang and SCAPE, we are realizing the most contemporary ideas about museums and public spaces and creating a new paradigm that is both art and people-centric.”
AMFA under construction in Little Rock
The new museum building is located on 11 acres of public landscape at MacArthur Park designed by SCAPE and inspired by the native ecologies of Arkansas. The revitalised landscape will boast rain gardens, plantings and pathways.
Additionally, the museum includes a new outdoor courtyard and restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the surrounding terrace and park.
The visitor experience has been streamlined and the façade of the original 1937 Museum of Fine Arts is a feature of the new front entrance at AMFA.
“The rich history of the institution, of MacArthur Park, and of Little Rock is celebrated through the renewal of the historic facade,” said Ramirez.
New museum designed by Studio Gang
“The façade is a symbol of AMFA’s legacy, reflecting the decades of community engagement and support that have allowed the museum to build its exceptional collection and innovative programming.
“The institution’s new name – Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts – is a commitment to continuing this legacy of creating exceptional arts experiences for our community and the entire state.”
Elsewhere, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art revealed plans for a major expansion at the site in Bentonville, Arkansas, designed by Safdie Architects.
Images: AMFA
