The exhibition Building Belonging: Designing the future of the Nelson-Atkins presents design concepts for a future expansion to the museum’s campus, from six world-class architectural firms.
A museum for all
This begins with you, our community.
We’ve heard what you want: new programs, more events, improved amenities — all centered on the connections that only art can provide.
We aim to create a come-as-you-are museum where you can engage with art and with others, enjoy new social spaces, find respite in expanded galleries, or picnic in our big front yard.
Together, we can foster joy and new ways of thinking — all while keeping the promise of free general admission. Together, we can build a museum where everyone feels they belong.
Global competition winner: WEISS/MANFREDI
Architecture/Landscape/Urbanism
With extensive input from our community and the project’s Architectural Selection Committee, the Nelson-Atkins has selected the globally recognized New York firm WEISS/MANFREDI to lead the campus expansion.
View WEISS/MANFREDI’s design concepts for the expansion and read about its approach:
A call to our community
In the fall of 2024, the museum launched a global competition to find an outstanding architect-led team to design the expansion. From nearly 200 submissions, six finalists were selected: Kengo Kuma & Associates (Tokyo), Renzo Piano Building Workshop (Genoa), Selldorf Architects (New York), Studio Gang (Chicago), Weiss/Manfredi Architecture (New York), and WHY Architecture (Los Angeles).
The resulting six architectural concepts are presented in the exhibition Building Belonging. There, guests are invited to read each firm’s rationales, review models and renderings, and provide feedback via onsite comment cards or an online form.
Although a winning concept has been selected, we encourage guests and the Kansas City community to continue sharing input, which will inform the expansion as this yearslong project progresses.
About the expansion
Purpose
We have heard the community desire for new programs, more events, and different amenities — all centered on the connections that only art can create. That is why we launched an architectural competition to build a museum for the future.
With an expanded campus, we can better serve our communities, care for our collections, and position the museum to meet the needs of future audiences.
The brief for the architectural competition specified a new addition of approximately 61,000 square feet, a partial renovation of the original Nelson-Atkins building, and activation and amplification of the outdoor campus. Additionally, this expansion plans to include a photography center and more gallery space, a black box theater, a new restaurant, and an education center.
Funding
The architectural competition was funded through the generosity of our donors. The expansion will be funded through private philanthropy.
Changes to the current buildings
Our goal is to improve guest experiences in our galleries, in check-in areas, across classrooms and with amenities (such as dining and our outdoor sculpture park), all while continuing to provide exceptional art experiences. Details about how we asked the architects to think about potential changes are included in the competition brief, which can be found on our website.
The concept submitted by the winning firm is just that — a concept. Over the next year, museum leadership will work with staff, architects, and our community to finetune the ideas into the design that will be built.
Updates to the collection
Many of our beloved galleries will remain the same. The renovations will also provide wonderful enhancements, including elevated presentations of photography and African art.
Integrations with the current campus
Respecting our current campus is important. The competition winner was selected in part, for the way in which its proposal fits and flows within our existing campus — in both contrast and harmony. Our next step is to work with the winning firm to turn its concept into a fully formed design, which will include more detail about the new building’s location.
Museum closures
We do not anticipate a full closure of the museum during the expansion — although it is too early to be certain. At times, some areas may not be fully accessible during construction and renovations.
Construction timeframe
While we do not yet have a timeline for the expansion project, construction will not begin for several years.