Museum PR Announcements News and Information

Toledo Museum of Art Wolfe Gallery Project

The Toledo Museum of Art has begun the process of obtaining bids to construct a new gallery for contemporary art.

The project, estimated to cost $3 million, will take approximately 10 months to complete. The resulting gallery will be named in honor of Perrysburg residents Mary and Frederic Wolfe, long-time TMA supporters who gave the Museum $2 million to help underwrite the renovation.

Two Toledo firms, Thomas Porter Architects and Duket/Architects/Planners are working jointly on the design of new gallery, which will be adjacent to the Classic Court in the main Museum. According to Carol Bintz, chief operating officer, the bid process will be by invitation only and coordinated by the architectural firms.

The room will feature a main level and a mezzanine in what formerly was a gallery for the Museum’s glass collection. The space has been empty since the Glass Pavilion opened in 2006 across the street and most of the glass collection was installed for display there.
“This space is a blank canvas for us,” said Bintz. “The bi-level design will enable the Museum to show both small and large-scale contemporary works in the gallery. We will also have the ability to project video with minimal reflection. Since we will not have many walls and will have two levels, it will be a wonderfully flexible space for us in the future,” Bintz said.

The new gallery’s design is both people and environmentally friendly. In addition to having both an elevator and a staircase to reach the upper level, plans call for low or no VOC paint finishes and flooring; energy efficient systems for heating and cooling; LED and energy efficient lighting, and other operating efficiencies.

Bintz indicated construction work schedules will be arranged to avoid major operating disruptions during hours when the Museum is open to visitors.

Image: Toledo Museum of Art

www.toledomuseum.org

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *