The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City has unveiled the winning design for its transformative $160 to $170 million expansion, marking a major milestone in the museum’s nearly century-long history. The project will dramatically extend the museum westward with a two-tiered glass addition topped by a green roof, designed to harmonize with the existing Bloch Building to the east.

Chosen by the museum’s board of trustees from among six international finalists, the design by New York-based Weiss/Manfredi/Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism represents a bold new vision while paying homage to the museum’s Beaux-Arts origins.

The new addition will include exhibition space, a restaurant, and a theater with views over the south lawn. Extensive changes are also planned to the museum’s north, south, and west facades. A new amphitheater will border the reflecting pool to the north, while glass walls will be inserted between the museum’s iconic neoclassical columns. The roof will be converted into an open-air observation deck. Inside, the Italian Rozelle Court will gain a new glass ceiling, and the south entry will be reimagined with glass in place of the existing stone retaining wall.

“If the effect of the glass Bloch Building was to bring ‘illuminosity’ to the Nelson,” said the design firm, “then the new addition will bring ‘transparency.’”

The new structure is expected to provide an additional 61,000 square feet to the museum’s current 338,000 square feet. The museum currently displays only about 6% to 7% of its 42,000-piece collection at any given time, so the expansion will enable more of its holdings to be seen by the public.

“Weiss/Manfredi’s concept absolutely blew us away as it captured the spirit of the museum while offering a bold vision for our future,” said Julián Zugazagoitia, director and chief executive officer of the Nelson-Atkins. “Central to our competition was the need to respect the Nelson-Atkins’ original, neoclassical building, as well as our beautiful Bloch Building, while also bringing something new to our campus. This concept delivers all of that.”

Though a specific groundbreaking date hasn’t been set, construction is expected to be funded entirely through private donations. The announcement follows a competitive design selection process that involved public feedback and global interest. In March, the museum revealed that it had narrowed down 182 entries from 30 countries to six finalists, including Kengo Kuma and Associates, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Selldorf Architects, Studio Gang, and Why Architecture.

“We are deeply honored to work with The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art on this transformative project,” said Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi. “It is a rare and meaningful opportunity to reimagine the museum as a place where art, architecture and landscape converge to reveal a place of discovery and delight, and we look forward to collaborating with the museum and community to create a more transparent and welcoming cultural campus.”

Since opening in 1933, the Nelson-Atkins has been a major cultural institution in Kansas City, known for its world-class collections of Asian art, European and American paintings, photography, and Indigenous art. In 2024, it attracted 558,000 visitors and remains free to the public.

This marks the museum’s second major expansion, following the 2007 debut of the Bloch Building, whose glowing glass architecture initially drew criticism but later became a beloved civic icon. Likewise, the once-controversial shuttlecocks by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen have evolved into symbols of the museum’s playful identity.

As Kansas City continues to grow as a hub for art and architecture, the Nelson-Atkins’ expansion is poised to further elevate its global reputation, creating new opportunities for community engagement, cultural education, and artistic discovery.

Originally reported by Eric Adler in The Kansas City Star.