A new and expanded campus at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum has been completed and reopened this summer. The expansion showcases new architecture by OMA New York, led by partner Shohei Shigematsu with project architects Lawrence Siu and Paxton Sheldahl, and executive architect Cooper Robertson. The project introduces the Jeffrey E. Gundlach Building and extensive renovations across the museum’s existing buildings. A $20 million commitment from New York State and Governor Kathy Hochul helped close out the $230 million capital campaign—the largest fundraising effort in the history of cultural institutions in Western New York.
Common Sky © Marco Cappelletti, Courtesy of OMA
After a 3.5-year construction period, the museum—formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery—hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony that welcomed local visitors, supporters, and international guests to celebrate the start of the summer season. The event served as the public’s first opportunity to see the renewed and significantly enlarged campus.
The expanded Buffalo AKG now offers more than 50,000 square feet of prime exhibition space, five state-of-the-art studio classrooms, the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Town Square, and over half an acre of new public green space positioned above an underground parking garage. The design process incorporated substantial input from communities across Western New York and the museum’s leadership. The campus sits within Frederick Law Olmsted’s beloved Delaware Park, enhancing the museum’s connection to the surrounding landscape.
© Marco Cappelletti, Courtesy of OMA
The renewed campus includes the renovated Robert and Elisabeth Wilmers Building and the Seymour H. Knox Building, along with the new Ralph Wilson Town Square. The Town Square features Common Sky, a monumental site-specific work by Olafur Eliasson and Sebastian Behmann of Studio Other Spaces. On the north side of the campus, the Jeffrey E. Gundlach Building—a signature project by OMA/Shohei Shigematsu in collaboration with Cooper Robertson—is fully open to the public.
“As one of the oldest public art institutions in the country, the Buffalo AKG Art Museum expansion is a transformative project that will provide a significant boost to Buffalo’s future,” said Governor Kathy Hochul. “This project will add new life and vitality to this historic institution and continues the revitalization of Western New York.”
© Marco Cappelletti, Courtesy of OMA
The museum’s current exhibitions highlight both historical and contemporary perspectives. Featured shows include Through a Modernist Lens: Buffalo and the Photo-Secession (on view through Oct. 30, 2023), Looking Back: Lucas Samaras’s Mirrored Room (on view through Jan. 2, 2024), and Clyfford Still: A Legacy for Buffalo (on view through Feb. 19, 2024). Visitors are encouraged to check ticketing information and reserve in advance.