Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art Expansion
Ten years after the completion of the original design for the museum, a seamlessly integrated expansion will increase the museum’s galleries, create more space for educational programming, and foster new community engagement opportunities. Extending the long-term partnership between Crystal Bridges and Safdie Architects, the design continues the deep integration of art, architecture, and nature that has become synonymous with Crystal Bridges.
The expansion will increase the current facility by 50%, adding to the collection of elegant pavilions nestled within the sloping landscape. Continued use of regional materials such as concrete, timber, and fieldstone, sourced from Northwest Arkansas, celebrates the region’s craft traditions. New interior and exterior connections throughout the project create links between the galleries and program spaces and the surrounding park and trails. Construction on the expanded pavilions began in early 2022. As a precursor to the expansion, a reconfigured main lobby and courtyard were completed in May of 2021.