The Philadelphia Museum of Art and architect Frank Gehry have unveiled a comprehensive renovation and expansion plan for the institution’s landmark building. Thanks to the exhibition “Classic Modern: Frank Gehry’s Master Plan for the Philadelphia Museum of Art,” visitors can catch a glimpse of the design, which involves adding 78,000-square-feet of gallery space to the museum without altering its celebrated facade. Through large-scale models, site plans, and renderings, the exhibition will help patrons visualize and understand the plan that Gehry has been developing with his creative team since 2006.
While Gehry is best known for his expressive, sculptural buildings, such as the curvilinear Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, his approach to the Philadelphia Museum of Art is considerably less dramatic. The project involves transforming the museum’s interior by renewing beloved spaces, such as the Great Stair Hall, and improving how visitors enter and move through the institution.
