Preliminary drawing of the McGlothlin Wing II
Work has begun on the McGlothlin Wing at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art in Richmond, Virginia. This is the second major donation that Bristol philanthropists and art collectors, Jim and Fran McGlothlin, have made to the museum.
The newly planned McGlothlin Wing II comprises approximately 173,000 square feet of new gallery spaces for American art (approximately 30,000 square feet), African art (approximately 8,600 square feet), contemporary art (approximately 12,400 square fee), a special events space that seats 500 people, meeting rooms, a café and bar, and a second special exhibition gallery suite (approximately 12,000 square feet).
The project also renovates approximately 45,000 square feet of existing gallery space in the 1936, 1970 and 2010 wings highlighted by approximately 5,500 square feet of new gallery space for photography and about 7,000 square feet for the Raysor Center for Works on Paper, including a study room and expanded spaces for conservation, matting and framing, and storage for works on paper and photography. There will also be expanded galleries for European art from Medieval to Impressionism.
The last major expansion was in 2010, when the museum added a new wing named for James and Frances McGlothlin. Shortly after the McGlothlin wing opened, significant new acquisitions nearly doubled the collection’s size. It now comprises more than 50,000 works of art — all belonging to the people of the Commonwealth. VMFA saw an opportunity to reinforce its mission of inclusion in the design of a new expansion.
The Leslie Cheek Theatre has undergone renovation this year. In March, the Richmond Ballet has recently moved its studio series “Moving Art” to the Cheek Theatre.
The look of the expansion signals VMFA’s commitment to openness and community engagement. The expansion’s exterior has a novel surface that plays with natural light. It casts dynamic shadows, invites curiosity and exploration and blurs the boundary between the museum’s interior and outside world. These characteristics serve to embody VMFA’s mission to be a welcoming space for all.
