Lord Cultural Resources facilitated community workshops throughout the city of Nashville to gauge the level of community interest, identify potential collections resources, as well as solicit community support, and developed a museum master plan.

Berkshire County Residents Make $15 Million Donation To Clark Art Institute
wamc.org, 12 March 2015

WILLIAMSTOWN, MA — "Two Berkshire County residents have announced a major donation to The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown. In recognition of their $15 million donation, The Clark is renaming its directorship after Felda and Dena Hardymon. The money will support ongoing operations and campus expansion, part of which was unveiled by museum head Michael Conforti in June."

Lord Cultural Resources prepared a review of the Institute's Long-Range Financial Forecast in relation to its strategic plan. Based on the results of the review, Lord Cultural Resources subsequently prepared a new Operations Budget Forecast that included assumptions regarding the expansion program and its impact on operations. We had continued to provide facilities planning services to the Clark’s archive facility expansion plan since 2000, including preparation of the Space Plan, Functional Strategy, Systems and Standards, detailed room requirements, and comments on architectural design in relation to facilities specifications for both the Clark and the Williamstown Art Conservation Center. In 2009, Lord Cultural Resources was commissioned to complete a staffing plan for opening.

Frosts give additional $10M to science museum
Miami Herald, 9 March 2015

MIAMI, FL — "Patricia and Phillip Frost have given an additional $10 million to the new science museum in downtown Miami that bears their names, bringing their total contribution to $45 million. The latest gift is earmarked for the museum’s recently completed planetarium, which marks the mid-point in construction of the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. The museum, in downtown Miami adjacent to the Pérez Art Museum Miami, is expected to open in summer of 2016."

Lord Cultural Resources was commissioned to complete the first phase of the master planning process with a Concept Development study and subsequently a business plan and a Facility Plan. Our work has continued into the schematic and design development stages where we are providing further co-ordination and revision of the Space and Functional Programs and reviewing the proposed building layouts to ensure optimal operating functionality, and provide research and advice to the Design Team.

Saudi Arabian culture centre secures loans from Los Angeles to London
The Art Newspaper, February 2015

DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA — "Saudia Arabia is looking to strengthen its cultural ties with institutions in the West, symbolized by the construction of a prestigious cultural centre by the state-owned oil company. Saudi Aramco. International partners include London's British Museum and Natural History Museum, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and now the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) . Last month LACMA announced it will loan more than 130 items from its Islamic art collection for an inaugural exhibition at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture under construction in the eastern city of Dhahran. Originally scheduled to open in 2013, the centre is now due to be unveiled early next year."

Lord Cultural Resources developed the institutional “software” for the project: the programmatic and organizational framework for the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture. The work included the temporary exhibition programming, strategic positioning and recruitment, and training for the Center’s personnel. In addition, Lord Cultural Resources developed an integrated business plan for all components of the Center (and including central operations) and Lord Cultural Recruitment has also been engaged to provide training and recruitment services and ongoing implementation services to Opening Day.

Buxton Museum receives £869,000 Heritage Lottery Fund grant
Buxton Advertiser, 23 February 2015

ENGLAND, UK — "Residents and visitors will soon be able to explore the Peak District from the comfort of their own homes thanks to a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £869,000 for Buxton Museum and Art Gallery. The funding, awarded to Derbyshire County Council, who own the museum, will be used to promote the heritage of the Peak District. Two of the projects will use the latest technology to bring the museum’s collections to a wider audience, while the third involves improving the building’s main gallery."

Lord Cultural Resources provided museum interpretation services to explore digital developments and gallery improvements for the principle exhibition at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery in support of the Stage 2 HLF application.

Architect named for new University of Iowa Museum of Art
The Gazette, 23 February 2015

DES MOINES, IA — "A highly-anticipated permanent replacement for the University of Iowa’s flood-devastated Museum of Art building now has an architect on board. Project developer H+H Development Group of Iowa City has identified BNIM Architects of Des Moines and Kansas City as “architect of record” for the new museum, the university announced Monday. The firm was chosen, in part, for its “wide range of notable projects, both nationally and internationally,” according to Rod Lehnertz, interim vice president of finance and operations and director of planning, design, and construction for UI Facilities Management. Conceptual renderings of the estimated 60,000-square-foot project are expected in late spring or summer, UI officials said."

Lord Cultural Resources provided planning services for the development of a replacement facility for The University of Iowa’s Museum of Art including partner selection services, architectural program development, and operations and business planning.

Witte breaking ground on new expansion
San Antonio Express-News, 8 February 2015

SAN ANTONIO, TX — "After a decade of planning and fundraising, the Witte Museum will break ground Monday on the second phase of its ongoing expansion. The project’s $60 million price tag covers the Valero Great Hall, a sleek new entryway; a dinosaur gallery; the McLean Family Texas Wild Gallery; and the People of the Pecos Gallery exploring the lives of ancient people. It also includes construction of the new Mays Family Center for Special Exhibitions. “This one is the big one,” said Marise McDermott, president and CEO. “It’s so transformational, we’re calling it the new Witte.” The Mays center is slated to open in the summer of 2016, but it’s already having an impact on the kinds of exhibits the museum presents. The opening show will be “Maya: Hidden Worlds Revealed,” a massive show exploring Mayan civilization."

Lord Cultural Resources provided exhibition design, interpretive planning and space planning services for the new B. Naylor Morton Research and Collections Center's permanent storage.

Could Huronia hospital become a Banff Centre of the east?
The Toronto Star, 4 February 2015

ORILLIA, ON — "Could Orillia’s shuttered Huronia Regional Centre, which had a nightmare history as one of Ontario’s most hellish psychiatric hospitals, be reborn as a heavenly oasis for culture, creativity and innovation? Yes, definitely, says futuristic business guru Don Tapscott, who grew up in Orillia. So does Canada’s most famous writer, Margaret Atwood. Tapscott and Atwood are among the growing list of notables who have enthusiastically joined a campaign started by veteran Toronto artist Charles Pachter to turn the 200-acre site — which boasts meadows, forest, grassland, rolling hills, heritage buildings and 1,500 metres of waterfront on the shores of Lake Simcoe — into a kind of Banff Centre of the east. It would be known as the Huronia Cultural Campus. Their vision: to create an international arts destination, with live/work artist studios, educational and teleconference facilities, exhibition galleries, a First Nations museum and a performance pavilion for outdoor summer concerts."

Lord Cultural Resources is acting as advisors to the project and will continue to provide consulting services as the project progresses.

Major changes coming to Woldenberg Park and the zoo
WWL.com, 30 January 2015

NEW ORLEANS, LA — "Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO, Ron Forman, says there'll be plenty of new attractions to see in New Orleans in the coming months. "The great thing for 2015 is that almost every month, something new will be opening at the zoo." A major new orangutan exhibit will open this spring. A huge rope course will soon be added, on a concession basis, and will be at the zoo for at least two years. Called the 'Kamba Kourse' the four-story climbing structure will open in the African Savanna area of the zoo."

Lord Cultural Resources and Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets (PGAV) developed the Master Plans for both the Zoo and Aquarium with. The planning process was two-phased: the first phase, led by Lord Cultural Resources, focused on the contextual analysis and the implications to the development of the Zoo and Aquarium; and the second phase, led by PGAV, developed the concept.

Hong Kong set to tender new art and design museum
The Construction Index, 29 January 2015

HONG KONG — "The main construction works for Hong Kong’s M+ museum are set to be tendered soon, chief secretary Carrie Lam said at a time-capsule ceremony for the project. She said that the project’s move from the design stage to construction marks a significant milestone in the development of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) project. Atkins is managing implementation of key elements of WKCD and Mott MacDonald is designing the infrastructure. M+ will be a museum for visual culture, focusing on 20th and 21st century art, design and architecture, and moving images from Hong Kong, China, Asia and beyond."
[see also M+ adds to its founding collection, The Art Newspaper, 30 March 2015]

Lord Cultural Resources was contracted with Mott MacDonald Hong Kong Ltd. for the WKCD Development Plan in 2009. We provided programming, operational and business planning input on the visual arts components: M+, its related off-site collection storage facility, and a self-financed Exhibition Centre. Lord Cultural Resources was also the visual arts facility planning advisor on Foster + Partners' City Park Master Plan concept for the entire West Kowloon Cultural District.

Fort Worth science museum gets $1 million gift
Star-Telegram, 26 January 2015

FORT WORTH, TX — "A $1 million donation will enable the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History to focus on new technology for its digital learning programs. Museum officials said they hope to raise another $1 million to match the donation from the Kleinheinz Family Foundation, which was announced Monday. The money will go toward upgrading technology for the institution’s science, math and language literacy programs, which run from pre-kindergarten through grade 12, along with its public programs for families and adults."

Lord Cultural Resources prepared a Strategic Master Plan, including institutional, collections, and market analyses, planning for facilities and the visitor experience, and a business and transition plan for the Museum's expansion.

Back to Top

Museums

Museums featured in the New York Times
New York Times, March 2015

The World's 12 Most Beautiful Museums
culturetrip.com, March 2015

PARIS, FRANCE — "The world's best museums offer buildings and interiors as stunning as the objects contained within them. From converted train stations to medieval ruins, discover a world of beautiful museums from Canada to Qatar, and be inspired by some of the most impressive architecture around."

Tunis Bardo Museum attack: Thousands join protest march
BBC News, 29 March 2015

TUNISIA — "Thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Tunis for an anti-terrorism march. Chanting "Tunisia is free! Terrorism out!", they marched to the Bardo Museum, the scene of an attack in which 21 tourists and a Tunisian died. French President Francois Hollande and other world leaders attended a ceremony at the museum."

University Art Museum Celebrates Grand Opening of New Plaza, First Permanent Collection Gallery with Three Exhibits
web.csulb.edu/sites/newsatthebeach, 27 March 2015

LONG BEACH, CA — "The university just celebrated the grand opening of a new plaza and for the first time ever a permanent collection gallery to its University Art Museum (UAM). The event featured three new exhibitions: Jessica Rath: A Better Nectar, Consumed and MOCA 8. The new plaza and permanent collection gallery were supported by $850,000 in private donations. The grand opening concludes six months of construction. The renovations include a new easy-to-find entrance and plaza that will attract and welcome visitors to the museum as well as a 3,000-square-foot expansion of the galleries for the display of the museum’s permanent collection. A full series of related educational programming, including lectures and film screenings will accompany the exhibitions."

The Whitney Museum, Soon to Open Its New Home, Searches for American Identity
New York Times, 26 March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "When the Whitney Museum of American Art opens its new building in Manhattan’s meatpacking district on May 1, it’s the big things everyone will notice first: the sweeping views west to the Hudson River; the romantic silhouettes of Manhattan’s wooden water towers; the four outdoor terraces for presenting sculptures, performances and movie screenings; and the tiered profile of its steel-paneled facade, intentionally reminiscent of the Whitney’s Modernist, granite-clad Marcel Breuer building on Madison Avenue, which had been the museum’s home since 1966. Its new digs, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, also offer commodious interior spaces: 50,000 square feet of galleries, unencumbered by structural columns, and huge elevators that are themselves immersive environments, the work of the artist Richard Artschwager."

16 Burning Art Questions Answered Finally Answered During #MuseumWeek
Huffington Post, 25 March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "For those unfamiliar with the world of Twitter and its trending topics, we bear big news. This week is Museum Week (#MuseumWeek), meaning that from March 23 to 29, your most beloved art institutions are rolling out fun facts, glorious images, art historical knowledge and, our very favorite, secrets. The weeklong online affair, organized by Twitter and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, will address daily themes like architecture, family, inspiration, and, yes, as we mentioned, secrets. If spending hours scouring Twitter isn't your thing, fear not. We've compiled the juiciest #SecretsMW of the bunch for your perusal."

It's Museum Week on Twitter
The Guardian, 23 March 2015

WORLD — "If you are a twitter fiend, as I am, and if you are passionate about museums, galleries and other cultural institutions, as I am, then you will be thrilled to learn that today is the first day of Museum Week on twitter. This community event runs from 23-29 March and has two main goals: to encourage the public to participate in a fun community initiative and to bring a global dimension to this event. Although it has not gone global yet, Museum Week is international: more than 800 museums, galleries and cultural institutions from across the UK, Europe, the Americas, Asia and Oceania -- 29 countries in total -- are officially participating in this, the first ever international Museum Week on twitter."

Tanzania to build new natural and history museum
spyghana.com, 20 March 2015

TANZANIA — "Tanzania is on the brink of building another new natural and history museum which will be dedicated to document and showcase the country’s endangered flora and fauna. TanzaniaThe new facility is to be built a few kilometers from the country’s tourist hub of Arusha, Director-general of the Tanzania National Museum Prof. Audax Mabula said here on Friday when speaking at the opening ceremony of a wildlife photographic exhibition. “This is part of the government’s initiatives to uplift services offered by the Arusha National Natural and History Museum,” he said."

The Queen to unveil visitor centre at the Battle of Britain Memorial next week
itv.com, 17 March 2015

ENGLAND — "The Queen is to unveil the new 3.5 million visitor centre at the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne in Kent. The site is the national memorial to The Few and the new centre will house an audio-visual experience to guide visitors through the story of the Battle in 1940."

Finish line in sight for National Blues Museum construction
kmov.com, 14 March 2015

ST.LOUIS, MO — "It has been in the works for years, but the construction on the National Blues Museum is nearing its end. The connection between blues music and St. Louis runs deeper than just the inspiration for a certain local hockey team and the 1914 song Saint Louis Blues. “This is so important to who we are and what we’re about,” Kim Massie, a local blues singer, told News 4’s Emily Rau. Massie is just one of many blues musicians and enthusiasts who can explain the relevancy of the museum to St. Louis. “Finally the blues, its rich, storied history, its unique cast of characters and its mojo has a home we can all be very proud of. This genre of music which has influenced so many artists throughout the last century is so very deserving of this museum,” said Devon Allman. Allman, a member of the National Blues Museum board, is an international touring and recording artist, a guitarist and singer with the Royal Southern Brotherhood, and son of Gregg Allman of the legendary musical Allman family. Construction crews are transforming 23,000 square feet in the former Dillard’s department store downtown into a state-of-the-art museum."

Play Africa to bring first children’s museum to the continent
leisuremanagement.co.uk, 11 March 2015

SOUTH AFRICA — "A not-for-profit organisation is opening the Play Africa Children’s Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa, to provide young people with the opportunity to learn and develop through play. Opening in June 2017, the children’s museum will be a major public space for families in the city. It will offer an immersive environment with educational and interactive exhibits designed to facilitate learning through play. The centre will be located in a 5,000sqm (53,820sq ft) sustainably-built venue surrounded by an outdoor park. It aims to be a low-cost attraction that is accessible to children of all backgrounds and predicts a minimum of 200,000 child visitors per year."

Look List: The Best New Museums
intelligenttravel.nationalgeographic.com, 10 March 2015

WORLD — "Culture vultures know how to holiday. They aim for creative clusters—innovative centers abuzz with imaginative activity—and let loose. While some clusters occur organically, art-smart urban planners have turned the creation of cultural spaces into an art form all its own."

Dubai unveils vision for Museum of the Future to showcase innovation in design
dezeen.com, 6 March 2015

DUBAI, UAE — "An oval museum filled with robots and other technological inventions has been scheduled for construction in Dubai (+ movie). Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, revealed plans this week for the Museum of the Future – an institution dedicated to innovation in design and technology."

Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum to close for renovations
Baltimore Business Journal, 5 March 2015

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND — "The Babe Ruth Birthplace Museum is about to get its first major facelift in 40 years. The museum at 216 Emory St. will close March 8 for about three months of structural renovations. During the museum's four decades in business, the only major renovation it has undergone was the addition of a new roof last year. The project will bring the building into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Planned work includes the addition of an elevator, a new street-level entrance and handicapped accessible restrooms."

Joan of Arc getting her own museum in France
historynewsnetwork.org, February 2015

FRANCE — "The Historial Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc History Museum), an ambitious project spearheaded by Métropole Rouen Normandie, is the largest space dedicated to this historical figure of international renown. The city of Rouen has been marked by the memory of Joan of Arc, from iconic sites like the Place du Vieux-Marché where her trial took place, to the Palais Archiépiscopal [archbishop’s palace], where a posthumous trial re-established her innocence. This latter site, made available by the Archbishop and the State, is home to the new museum, due to open in March 2015. Here, visitors can discover the history of Joan of Arc in a spacious museum, spread over five levels, ten exhibition spaces and a surface area of almost 1,000 m2."

Maple Leaf Contributes $200,000 to the Waterloo Region Museum to Preserve the Schneider Foods Legacy
stockhouse.com, 27 February 2015

MISSISSAUGA, ON — "Maple Leaf Foods today announced that it is contributing $200,000 to the Waterloo Region Museum to preserve the important legacy and artifacts of Schneider Foods in the region. As part of the contribution, Maple Leaf is donating more than 250 Schneiders artifacts that have been carefully preserved and catalogued over the Company's more than 125-year history. The Museum will showcase select artifacts in a new Schneiders display as part of the Museum's expanded home-life exhibit, which it expects to complete by 2016. Artifacts will also be showcased in other locations in the Museum's Long-term Gallery in early 2015 until the expansion is complete."

Nimrud: Outcry as IS bulldozers attack ancient Iraq site
BBC News, 6 March 2015

IRAQ — "Archaeologists and officials have expressed outrage about the bulldozing of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud by Islamic State militants in Iraq. IS began demolishing the site, which was founded in the 13th Century BC, on Thursday, according to Iraqi officials. The head of the UN's cultural agency condemned the "systematic" destruction in Iraq as a "war crime". IS, which controls large areas of Iraq and Syria, says shrines and statues are "false idols" that have to be smashed. "They are erasing our history," said Iraqi archaeologist Lamia al-Gailani."
[see also Colonial Williamsburg may help guard Iraq relics imperilled by ISIS, Yahoo News, 11 March 2015]

Director-General requests UN Security Council meeting on destruction of heritage in Mosul
unesco.org, 26 February 2015

MOSUL, IRAQ — “I am deeply shocked by footage released today showing the destruction of statues and other artefacts of the Mosul Museum. I condemn this as a deliberate attack against Iraq’s millennial history and culture, and as an inflammatory incitement to violence and hatred,” said the Director-General. “This attack is far more than a cultural tragedy – this is also a security issue as it fuels sectarianism, violent extremism and conflict in Iraq. This stands in direct violation to the most recent United Nations Security Council Resolution 2199 that condemns the destruction of cultural heritage and adopts legally-binding measures to counter illicit trafficking of antiquities and cultural objects from Iraq and Syria. This is why I have immediately seized the President of the Security Council to ask him to convene an emergency meeting of the Security Council on the protection of Iraq’s cultural heritage as an integral element to protect Iraq's cultural heritage."
[see also CMA supports UNESCO Statements on Destruction of Artifacts, Canadian Museums Association, 11 March 2015]

Lord Cultural Resources stands united with the Mosul Museum and the global cultural community against the deplorable destruction of human life and world cultural heritage by the Islamic State. We fully support Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO in her efforts to convene an emergency UN Security Council meeting and the brave cultural workers who risk their lives every day in an effort to protect Iraq's cultural heritage.

Work to begin on £80m V&A Dundee museum project
dailyrecord.co.uk, 25 February 2015

SCOTLAND — "Work is to begin on the new V&A museum in Dundee next months after Dundee Council signed an £80 million contract with BAM Construction Ltd. Dundee Council had initially estimated the project would cost £49 million, but the council then announced in January the estimated cost had risen to £80.11 million. The Scottish Government pledged a further £10 million towards the estimated shortfall, taking its contribution towards the project to £25 million."
[see also video: Construction work starts on V&A Museum of Design Dundee, March 2015]

Western Australian Museum
constructionhunter.com.au, 25 February 2015

AUSTRALIA — "The New Museum for Western Australia is set to be a state of the art complex, setting the bench mark for creativity, innovation and diversity. With construction still in the planning stage, the project is set to commence in 2016. The New Museum will be developed on the existing Western Australian Museum and will be integrated among heritage buildings. Included in the upgrade will be major improvements to the Museum’s Collection and Research Centre (CRC) in Welshpool."

After floating around, surfing history museum gets a home
sun-sentinel.com, 23 February 2015

PALM BEACH, FL — "The Palm Beach County Surfing History Project finally has a home of its own. Seven years after they started stockpiling relics from surfing's early days in South Florida, a group of longtime local surfers has set up what they hope will be a permanent museum in Delray Beach. It comes after 15 temporary exhibitions, mostly in Palm Beach County, but also at venues as far south as Fort Lauderdale. "This is our dream come true," said Tom Warnke, one of nine trustees of the nonprofit project."

Citadel’s Griffin Gives $10 Million to Chicago Art Museum
bloomberg.com, 20 February 2015

CHICAGO, IL — "Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin has given $10 million to the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago through his charity. The gift by the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund will be used to create the Griffin Galleries of Contemporary Art, the museum said in a statement Friday. The gift is part of the museum’s Vision Campaign to raise $64 million for programming, which has reached $60 million in private donations toward the goal."

Berlin Plans the World’s First Museum Dedicated to the Internet
psfk.com, 20 February 2015

BERLIN, GERMANY — "The German city of Berlin is set to be the first to create a permanent museum that’s solely dedicated to the Internet. Planned to open in late 2015, The Internet Museum will take visitors on a historical journey from its launch in 1962 right up to the astonishing advancements it’s made to this day. The plan is to split the tour into themes that will include philosophical pioneers, tech trends, the development of mobile internet, its affects on society and humans and even contemporary concepts such as hacking. The 1,000 square meter space will also house digital art exhibitions and archival footage and products, while inviting current innovators within the digital sector to host inspiring talks and workshops. Although there have been similar concepts in the past such as online museums and other temporary exhibitions inspired by the Internet, The Internet Museum is one of a kind because it’s the first to commemorate its history."

First look: Cleveland Museum of Natural History $150 million expansion plan to commence in spring
cleveland.com, 20 February 2015

CLEVELAND, OH — "After nearly a decade of planning, design and redesign, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History will begin construction this spring on the first part of a five-year, three-phase, $150 million expansion and renovation. The project is aimed at giving the nationally respected institution a sustainable, light-filled, high-tech home better suited to its mission and collections than the dowdy, architecturally dull, midcentury complex it occupies on Wade Oval, where it has grown through accretion since 1958."

US museums capitalise on baby boomers’ desire to write big cheques
The Art Newspaper, 19 February 2015

USA — "Cultural giving among America’s top philanthropists fell slightly in 2014, according to an annual ranking of the 50 largest charitable donors released last week by the Chronicle of Philanthropy. This news might come as a surprise to US museum directors, who have been swiftly—and quietly—raising eight-, nine-, and ten-figure donations from eager patrons. Their ambitious capital campaigns make the austerity measures of the recent recession feel like a distant memory."

Columbus Museum of Art sets date for new wing opening
The Columbus Dispatch, 19 February 2015

COLUMBUS, OH — "Save the date: On Oct. 25, the new, 50,000-square-foot wing of the Columbus Museum of Art will open. The event will mark the completion of the third and final phase of the expansion and renovation of the museum, located Downtown at 480 E. Broad St."

Beyond Bedlam: infamous mental hospital's new museum opens
The Guardian, 18 February 2015

UNITED KINGDOM — "Writhing 17th-century sculptures depicting Raving and Melancholy Madness, which once greeted both the inmates arriving at one of the most infamous mental hospitals in the world, and the visitors who paid to come and gape at them, now flank the stairs leading to the galleries of the Bethlem hospital’s new £4m museum. The first object confronting the modern visitor is a towering mahogany and brass collection box with a brutally frank inscription: “Pray remember the poor lunatics.” It dates from the days of the harsh Georgian regime depicted in William Hogarth’s Rake’s Progress, when beating in the original Bedlam was regarded as a therapeutic shock for the mentally ill."

Osoyoos Museum board confident new home will open to public in spring of 2017
osoyoostimes.com, 18 February 2015

OSOYOOS, BC — "There’s plenty of work that needs to be done and a great deal of money to be raised, but the sparkling new home of the Osoyoos Museum will open to the public in just over two years from now. Mat Hassen, the chair of the board of directors with the Osoyoos Museum Society and Archives, told members of Town of Osoyoos council on Monday that the board will take possession of the current Home Hardware Building Centre building on Main Street next October. He and the board have every confidence all the changes needed to bring the building up to provincial codes and standards will be finished to allow for the museum to be open to the public in the spring of 2017, said Hassen. “Opening in the spring of 2017 remains our goal,” he said. A consultant’s report prepared last year indicated the total costs to turn the museum into a state-of-the-art facility would be in the neighbourhood of $4.5 million, said Hassen."

New home on Wellington waterfront for film museum
stuff.co.nz/dominion-post, 17 February 2015

WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND — "Wellington's long-heralded film museum finally looks set for a waterfront home. The idea was first suggested in 2001, as Lord of the Rings fever established Wellington on the international movie-making map. Talks between the city council and Rings kingpins Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor about a museum are understood to have been taking place for years, but crucial questions have always included where it would be sited. Now the draft Wellington Waterfront Development Plan, being considered by a council committee today, has confirmed that a "movie museum" is headed for the waterfront."

Peter Zumthor’s Minimalist Museum for Zinc Mining Takes Shape in Norway
hyperallergic.com, 17 February 2015

NORWAY — "Set to open in the summer of 2016, a sleek museum designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor for a Norwegian zinc mine has been over a decade in the making, although parts of the attraction are already in place. The arrangement of buildings with its exposed beams, some perched on existing stone structures, is part of Norway’s National Tourist Routes. The ambitious creation of 18 routes by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, started in 1994, includes an impressive roster of local and national artists and architects collaborating on structures and installations along the road. The project is harnessing the old roadside attraction idea, except instead of fiberglass dinosaurs or mystery houses luring travelers to more rural locales, we are presented with modernist rest stops or a sleeping bear in a cave diorama by artist Mark Dion."

New museum showcases Wisconsin art
radiomilwaukee.org, 16 February 2015

WEST BEND, WI — "It is home to the largest collection of Wisconsin art is the world, and it's just a short drive from Milwaukee -- the Museum of Wisconsin Art. MOWA is America’s only regional art museum featuring the works of Wisconsin artists.  It features exhibition gallery space and a permanent collection. Right now, the feature exhibit -- Polka Heartland -- showcases portraits by Milwaukee artist/photographer Dick Blau, peeking into the world behind Wisconsin's official state dance."

Grantham Museum reopens after refurbishment
BBC News, 14 February 2015

UNITED KINGDOM — "A museum in Margaret Thatcher's hometown has reopened following three months of refurbishment. Grantham Museum has many exhibits relating to the former prime minister, including her old bed, handbag, blue suit and hockey stick. Improvements to the museum include new lighting, removing a partition wall and taking the carpet up to reveal the original parquet flooring."

Here's the Museum of the Bible's $400M plan for the former Washington Design Center
Washington Business Journal, 12 February 2015

WASHINGTON, DC — "The Museum of the Bible, the venture from the founders of Hobby Lobby, is beginning the transformation of its historic building in Southwest D.C. Work on the building at 400 Fourth St. SW, which formerly housed the Washington Design Center, will include demolishing an 80s-era addition to the historic warehouse and constructing a striking curved-glass structure to the building's roof. The 430,000-square-foot museum is expected to open in late 2017."

Pompidou to pop up all over France
The Art Newspaper, 12 February 2015

PARIS, FRANCE — "Towns and cities across France will soon be able to boost their culture offerings by hosting pop-up branches of the Centre Pompidou. The Paris museum is expanding its empire, and aims to establish domestic temporary outposts. “We will soon launch an open call for candidates [to select a French city],” says a spokesman for the Centre Pompidou. These pop-ups will remain open for four years."

Omani dress museum with gift shop inaugurated in Mawaleh
menafn.com, 11 February 2015

OMAN — "The official opening of the Museum of Omani Dress in Mawaleh was held on Tuesday under the auspices of H H Sayyid Fatik bin Fahar al Said. Speaking on the occasion Julia Stehlin al Zadjali museum director said 'The Centre for Omani Dress (COD) which is responsible for the Museum of Omani Dress is firmly committed to the conservation preservation and study of the traditional Omani dress its identity and sharing knowledge through research exhibitions seminars workshops publications and educational projects. It is the custodian of one of the largest collections of Omani dresses in the world. As a non-profit organisation COD relies entirely on the generosity of its sponsors and the hard work of its volunteers."

The Broad art museum sets opening date in Los Angeles
Yahoo News, 5 February 2015

LOS ANGELES, CA — "The Broad, a contemporary art museum in downtown Los Angeles that will be free to visitors, said Thursday it will open its doors on Sept. 20. The $140 million museum next to Walt Disney Concert Hall will showcase the collection of billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad, who has been instrumental in transforming the once-rundown neighborhood just south of City Hall. Among the artists whose work will be displayed are Andy Warhol, Jasper Johns, Ed Ruscha, Cindy Sherman, and Roy Lichtenstein."

Hideaway Woods takes shape at Durham's Museum of Life and Science
wral.com, 3 February 2015

DURHAM, NC — "There's a big mess at the Museum of Life and Science, but this time kids in a science lab aren't behind it. Major construction work continues as crews build a new addition to the Durham museum. Gone is the popular Loblolly Park, along with the aging wooden playground that kids have scrambled around for two decades. Added are the beginnings of eight new treehouses, a filtered stream and a tunnel under the museum's kiddie train tracks, which will serve as the entry and exit point for Hideaway Woods, a two-acre exhibit that opens this summer."

Beirut to build new museum as Arab art booms
al-monitor.com, 3 February 2015

LEBANON — "It is the love of life and attachment to it that distinguish the Lebanese. The country is without a president. Political problems abound, and there is neither security nor stability. Hezbollah targeted an Israeli military convoy along the northern borders with the occupied Palestinian territories, shaking security even further. Moreover, health, social and economic problems are on the rise, while administrative corruption seeps through the institutions. God only knows how many expired products are making their way to Lebanon. Despite the rampant chaos and crises, Beirut is a stage for countless artistic shows, be they theatrical, cinematic or musical. Today, a new adventure has emerged. The Association for the Promotion and Exhibition of the Arts in Lebanon (APEAL) has launched a national campaign dubbed “Museum in the Making” to establish a modern and contemporary artistic museum in Beirut. After having supported Arab capitals with its creative productions, Beirut is searching for a haven to accommodate the works of its artists and to spread the culture of museums and lure a new audience."

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Architecture

Bjarke Ingels and Stefan Sagmeister on the Inspirational Power of Great Design
magazine.good.is, March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "They arrived at least an hour early, if not more. By the time architect Bjarke Ingels and famed graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister took the mic at TASCHEN Books, the tiny Soho store was filled with over 300 people, the line snaking out the door and down the block. Many were young architects who treated Ingels, a wunderkind designer who at 40 is already a legend, as a star, asking for handshakes and chattering among themselves with excitement. Sagmeister, a veteran of the design world who, among many accomplishments, created some of David Byrne and the Talking Heads’ most iconic album covers, retained his trademark cool, calm stance as fans swirled past. The two had come to TASCHEN to celebrate and discuss their collaboration, Hot To Cold, a weighty tome highlighting some of Bjarke Ingels Group’s (BIG) greatest works, dreams, and unrealized projects, featuring Sagmeister's distinctive design. In this case, Sagmeister had created a rainbow gradient that splashes the cover, meant to conjure a heat map. The book sold out almost immediately."

Revealed: first images of 2015 Serpentine Pavilion
architectsjournal.co.uk, 25 March 2015

LONDON, ENGLAND — "The temporary building, which will sit on the lawns outside London’s Serpentine Pavilion between 25 June to 18 October, is described as an ’amorphous, double-skinned, polygonal structure’. The ‘playful and bold’ pavilion will feature translucent panels of multi-coloured ETFE ‘woven through and wrapped in webbing’."

Photos Architect Smiljan Radic's striking redo of Chile's pre-Columbian museum
First in a series of dispatches by Carolina A. Miranda exploring the art and architecture of Chile.
Los Angeles Times, 13 March 2015

CHILE — "Chilean architect Smiljan Radic is best known for seemingly coming out of nowhere to create the 2014 summer pavilion for London's Serpentine Gallery, which each year chooses a different architect to design a temporary structure open to the public for three months. Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Peter Zumthor and Oscar Niemeyer are some of the series' previous architects. For his pavilion, Radic produced a form that was somewhere between a neolithic doughnut and a luminous alien egg (its thin fiberglass shell allowed light to escape at night). The whole structure rested on array of over-sized rocks. The unusual piece was well-received by critics. A writer for the Telegraph described it as "heroically peculiar," a structure that "seems to stand out of time."

Heatherwick and BIG are the natural choice for Google’s new HQ
worldarchitecturenews.com, 13 March 2015

CALIFORNIA, USA — "Google has just revealed plans for its state-of-the-art new headquarters in Silicon Valley, California, released in a video announcement by Vice President, Real Estate and Workplace Services, David Radcliffe. The software giant has been working with Danish practice, BIG, and London-based Heatherwick Studio to design what is intended to be an exceptionally adaptable environment in which nature and buildings co-habit harmoniously within the proposed new North Bayshore campus."

Posthumous Pritzker prize for Frei Otto
worldarchitecturenews.com, 12 March 2015

MIAMI, FL — "Frei Otto has posthumously received the 2015 Pritzker Architecture Prize, Tom Pritzker announced earlier this week. Mr. Pritzker is Chairman and President of The Hyatt Foundation, which sponsors the prize. Mr. Pritzker said: “Our jury was clear that, in their view, Frei Otto’s career is a model for generations of architects and his influence will continue to be felt. The news of his passing is very sad, unprecedented in the history of the prize. We are grateful that the jury awarded him the prize while he was alive. Fortunately, after the jury decision, representatives of the prize travelled to Mr. Otto’s home and were able to meet with Mr. Otto to share the news with him. At this year’s Pritzker Prize award ceremony in Miami on May 15 we will celebrate his life and timeless work.” Mr. Otto becomes the 40th laureate of the Pritzker Prize and the second laureate from Germany." 

david chipperfield to redesign the met museum's modern and contemporary art wing
designboom.com, 12 March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "it has been announced that british firm david chipperfield architects have been chosen to lead the redesign of the metropolitan museum‘s modern and contemporary art wing in new york. following a year-long selection process for the prestigious project, it was publicized by the MET’s director and CEO thomas p. campbell: ‘we based the final selection of an architect on three criteria: vision, experience, and compatibility. david chipperfield’s global architectural experience and sensibility, along with his commitment to the collaborative aspect of creating architecture, make him a perfect partner on this milestone project. his museum projects are brilliantly coherent, elegant, and accessible—from the neues museum in berlin to museo jumex in mexico city, the saint louis art museum, and the hepworth in wakefield, england.”

Six finalists for the Guggenheim Helsinki Competition
World Architectural News, 12 March 2015

FINLAND — "From 1,715 anonymous submissions, the jury has now selected six of their favourite designs for the Guggenheim Helsinki. To streamline the difficult job of a coming up with a shortlist, the judges worked in groups of five to review random groupings of submissions, studying and analysing the boards. Submissions that did not fulfil the brief were the first to be side-lined. The main focus was on urban scale and overall organisational concept, connections to civic spaces, quality and character of light, the internal arrangement and programming of exhibition space, use and quality of materials, response to environmental conditions, and intrinsic flair, insight and charisma."

The People’s Republic of China unveils its stunning idea for its first pavilion, designed by Yichen Lu of Tsinhua University + Studio Link-Arc at the Milan Expo 2015
World Architectural News, 26 February 2015

MILAN, ITALY — "In the lead up to the Milan Expo 2015, World Architecture News will be showcasing a new Pavilion each week. The theme of this year’s expo is Feeding the Planet: Energy for Life. The structure must be easily dismantled and recycled, have disabled access and have open spaces filled with vegetation. Architects from all over the world are taking part in the Milan Expo 2015 and building their own creative and unique pavilions that reflect the identity of their nations. This is the People’s Republic of China’s first time taking part in a Universal Exposition with a self-built pavilion symbolising China’s commitment to explaining its agricultural policy. The design is the result of a competition won by Yichen Lu of Tsinghua University + Studio Link-Arc."

SO-IL and Freaks to redesign historic glass factory site
leisuremanagement.co.uk, 25 February 2015

PARIS, FRANCE — "New York-based SO-IL is collaborating with Paris-based Freaks to give the Site Verrier Meisenthal – first opened in 1704 – a complete makeover. Renovations of the former glass factory will include a new cultural centre, glass art centre and glass gallery. According to SO-IL, the design is a pliable concrete “tapestry”, which has been designed to establish new links between the various activities on the 5,000sq m (53,800sq ft) site while creating a central plaza for the Meisenthal. This new public space looks to re-establish the prominence of the historical site and will introduce a space to host a variety of events such as performances, outdoor theater, festivals and a Christmas market."

WAN gets some insight into architecture in Asia from award-winning Sameep Padora & Associates
World Architectural News, 23 February 2015

INDIA — "In celebration of the newly launched WAN Asia awards, we are getting the low-down from some of the leading lights of architecture based in Asia. This week we are speaking with sP+a (Sameep Padora & Associates), from Mumbai, India, about winning last year’s WAN 21 for 21 award, to discuss India’s approach to architecture and design, and to ask them what advice they would give to other young, up-and-coming practices in the region. sP+a is known for challenging tradition through re-interpretation. They are specifically interested in the socio-economic forces of change in the context of contemporary culture in India. Amongst some of their most impressive work is the Shiv Temple in Pune, and the 321 Tardeo building" in Mumbai."

bjarke ingels group proposes to top uppsala power plant with a geodesic dome
designboom.com, 20 February 2015

SWEDEN — "in 2014, bjarke ingels group was invited by the swedish city of uppsala to design a biomass cogeneration plant to supplement the region’s existing energy infrastructure during winter. with only seasonal use, the new facility would be vacant during summer months, allowing BIG to transform the public perception of a power plant both visually and functionally. the proposal fuses two industrial archetypes into an unconventional hybrid: the plant and the greenhouse. through harnessing the economies of scale associated with greenhouse structures it is possible to create an enclosure that lends the design a light and transparent quality. consequently, the crystalline volume serves as a colorful invitation for exploration and education."

Snøhetta and Zeidler Partnership have come up with a stunning new plan to expand and transform the Ryerson University Library in Toronto
World Architectural News, 20 February 2015

TORONTO, ON — "Snøhetta has excelled once again with their latest project, the Ryerson University Student Learning Centre, part of a plan to develop the city of Toronto and Ryerson University. The project focuses on collaborative spaces and dynamic learning environments, whilst also promoting a strong urban quality. The building will face south onto a major shopping street and provides seating and space for shoppers and pedestrians. A series of steps and ramps leads toward the entrance below a tilted ceiling that directs sunlight down to the public spaces and entry. Additionally, along the commercial street, a new retail space will be created."

Envisioning Eco-Friendly Architecture in Paris
hyperallergic.com, 20 February 2015

PARIS, FRANCE — "The 2007 Paris Climate Action Plan set a goal of reducing the city’s environmental footprint by 75% by 2050 (using 2004 as the base year), including greenhouse-gas emissions, energy consumption, and a move to renewable energy sources. Concurrently, Paris City Hall commissioned Vincent Callebaut Architectures to design a series of environmentally beneficial buildings. The idea of an environmentally sustainable city is not a new one (see the Danish Architecture Centre’s blog for frequently updated news items on this front), but Callebaut’s renderings, released last month and called Paris Smart City 2050, offer a totality helpful to a layperson’s understanding of green architecture; they visualize a restructuring of both Parisian energy consumption and the city’s architectural aesthetics."

Winning designer of Canterbury Cathedral's new visitor centre unveiled
canterburytimes.co.uk, 2 February 2015

ENGLAND — "The winning architects of the new welcome centre at the Canterbury Cathedral have been announced today. Berman Guedes Stretton (BGS) has won a competition for the new £1.4 million visitor centre, next to the historic precinct entrance at Christ Church Gate. The judges explain their decision, stating the proposal had a "distinctive approach and response to the brief."

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Technology

Museums Turn to Technology to Boost Attendance by Millennials
New York Times, 17 March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "If museums face an uncertain future, you wouldn’t know it from “Henri Matisse: The Cutouts,” which recently drew 664,000 to the Museum of Modern Art. The show was so thronged that MoMA kept its doors open round-the-clock on the closing weekend last month. But blockbusters like Matisse may be deceptive. Art museum attendance dipped 5 percent from 2002 to 2012, according to the National Endowment for the Arts. Museumgoers 75 and older were the only age group to increase over that period. The guardians of posterity must be concerned about the future, no matter how long the lines may be. Curators worry most about millennials. How do static galleries of canvas and artifact engage a generation raised on the reactive pleasures of right swipes and hyperlinks? How do you sell Goya when “Game of Thrones” is a click away? Internet technology presents diversions, but may also offer new ways of engaging younger visitors in art, science and history. This year many museums will install a new form of Bluetooth technology known as beacons. Patrons who download a smartphone app can be tracked within a few feet as they wander the galleries."

The Prado Museum Creates the First Art Exhibition for the Visually Impaired, Using 3D Printing
openculture.com, 9 March 2015

MADRID, SPAIN — "Are you one of the millions of sighted visitors who’ll visit a world class institution this year only to find yourself suffering from museum fatigue a couple of hours in? You know, that moment when all the paintings start to look alike, still lifes, crucifixions, and teenage noblewomen swimming before your eyes? If so, may we recommend closing your eyes and limiting yourself to an in-depth study of a half dozen paintings? That’s the number of works on display in Hoy toca el Prado, Madrid’s Museo del Prado’s landmark exhibition aimed at people with visualdisabilities. The Louvre, New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, and London’s National Gallery all have touch-friendly programming that allows blind visitors to experience sculptural works with their hands. The Prado’s initiative is unique in that it applies 3D printing techniques to reproductions of painted—i.e. flat—work."
[see also Feeling artistic: Gallery unveils specially created versions of classic paintings that blind people can 'see' by touching them, The Daily Mail, 11 February 2015]

Paris museums consider banning 'selfie sticks'
The Telegraph, 8 March 2015

PARIS, FRANCE — "Fans of the selfie stick include Boris Johnson and Barack Obama, but Paris museums plan to ban the extendable rods designed for people to take better photos of themselves with mobile phones. Guards in the Palace of Versailles have started ordering visitors to put away their selfie sticks to avoid potential damage to mirrors, furnishings or works of art. A formal ban is to be introduced within weeks. The Pompidou Centre, which exhibits modern art, is also "heading towards a ban", a management spokesman said."

BRC reimagines Ford factory tour in US$4.7m makeover
attractionsmanagement.com, 5 March 2015

MICHIGAN, USA — "BRC Imagination Arts is the creative force behind the recent US$4.7m (€4.2m, £3m) revamp of the Ford factory tour, offering visitors a close-up look at the creation of the automaker’s F-150 pickup truck. The Ford Rouge Factory Tour, based at The Henry Ford complex in Dearborn, Michigan, now includes a Manufacturing Innovation Theatre to showcase the build process at the facility. The reimagined theatre is designed to immerse visitors into the world of actual production – from concept to final testing – through state-of-the-art special effects including 3D projection mapping, laser effects and moving robots."

Australian museum and galleries gets virtual tour treatment from Google Street View technology
abc.net.au, 3 March 2015

AUSTRALIA — "Some of Australia's greatest cultural institutions have been digitally preserved through detailed virtual tours to educate and inspire future generations as part of a special Google initiative. The technology giant has taken its Street View technology off road to capture 360-degree panoramic images of select galleries and museums in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra. It is all part of the Google Cultural Institute - an effort to make important cultural material available and accessible to everyone for years to come."
[see also Dive deeper into Australia's history and culture with Google Cultural Institute, mashable.com, 3 March 2015]

LA rolls out new online database of historic sites
djc.com, 26 February 2015

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — "From towering basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain's hillside home to downtown's towering art-deco high-rise buildings, Los Angeles is putting all its landmarks online. Planning and preservation officials gathered this week on the observation tower of City Hall, a historic landmark in its own right, to roll out their new website, HistoricPlacesLA.org."

Hall of fame for video games
djc.com, 20 February 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "The museum that houses the National Toy Hall of Fame is establishing a World Video Game Hall of Fame. The Strong museum in Rochester says the video hall announced Tuesday will recognize electronic games of all types: arcade, console, computer, handheld and mobile"

$3.25m science centre for Dunedin
odt.co.nz, 12 February 2015

NEW ZEALAND — "A $3.25 million science engagement centre is to be created at Otago Museum. Otago Museum Trust Board chairman Graham Crombie said the new centre for science engagement would include a digital immersive planetarium, the redevelopment of Discovery World, the renovation of educational suites and the creation of a dedicated science communication team to staff the centre. Stage one of the work will see the 65-seat planetarium installed next to the current Discovery World, which would open in October."

Kuwait - Mobile Scientific Museum brings history, science to Jahra students
menafn.com, 9 February 2015

KUWAIT — "With a view to providing students with a unique educational experience simulate scientific research environments, Al-Jahra Educational Directorate inaugurated Sunday a mobile museum program at Ibn Al-Tufayal School in Jahra. The mobile museum brings history, science and art experiences to students."

Puy du Fou adds 'intelligent' drones to show choreography
attractionsmanagement.com, 5 February 2015

FRANCE — "French historical recreation theme park Puy du Fou has introduced an ‘intelligent’ drone fleet to enhance its attraction. The drone technology was specially created for the park’s flagship show Cinéscénie, which, at more than 23 hectares (57 acres), is one of the largest night shows in the world. As France’s second most-visited theme park, after Disneyland Paris, the attraction allows visitors to witness history being brought to life through more than 60 shows about the Vikings, Knights of the Round Table, Richelieu’s Musketeers and Gallo-Roman gladiator games."

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Art and Culture

Scottish National Gallery set for £5m revamp
scotsman.com, 27 March 2015

SCOTLAND — "A MULTI-MILLION pound extension to one of Edinburgh’s flagship visitor attractions is set to open in just over three years after the Heritage Lottery Fund confirmed its backing for the project. Almost £5 million has been set aside for the scheme, which will transform the way the nation’s Scottish art collection is displayed in the capital. Work on the overhaul of the Scottish National Gallery, which dates back to 1859, is expected to begin next year, if the Scottish Parliament approves a transfer of land from the city council and planning permission is secured."

Málaga, Spain’s Self-Appointed New Arts Hub
New York Times, 24 March 2015

MALAGA, SPAIN — "For the past 15 years, Málaga, the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, has pushed to promote its connection to the great painter, as part of its efforts to turn itself into an arts center.
Now, the cultural ambitions of this southern Spanish city are taking on a new dimension, spearheaded by its longstanding mayor, who persuaded two prestigious museums to add here their first overseas offshoots: the Pompidou Center from Paris and the State Russian Museum from Saint Petersburg."

dubai opera house moves closer to completion in the UAE
designboom.com, 23 March 2015

DUBAI, UAE — "the city of dubai is ready to add to its roster of impressive architecture with a new cultural complex, designed by atkins, to be built opposite the world’s tallest building. the ‘dubai opera’, initiated by global property developers EMAAR, forms the centerpiece of the city’s downtown opera district – a region that will eventually include a range of luxury hotels and residences, a retail plaza, restaurants, recreational spaces and parks. accessed from mohammed bin rashif boulevard, the district is connected with pedestrianized walkways and animated streets. not only will the shaded plaza encourage people to spend time outdoors, but also guide pedestrians towards the landscaped waterfront promenade."

Met Museum nets $31M for Asian art
crainsnewyork.com, 16 March 2015

NEW YORK, USA — "The Metropolitan Museum of Art has raised $31 million in donations for its Asian Art Department as part of a $70 million fundraising campaign, museum officials announced Monday. The museum, which has grown to have one of the largest collections of Asian art in the West, plans to use the capital to grow the department's staff, add facilities, create programming and acquire new works. It has also received 1,300 pieces of Asian art from Herbert Irving, the co-founder of Sysco Corp., and his wife Florence. The couple, known for their interest in Asian art, already has an Asian art wing at the museum named after them."

Argentinian team chosen to design Bamiyan Cultural Centre, Afghanistan
leisuremanagement.co.uk, 24 February 2015

AFGHANISTAN — "An Argentinian design team, headed up by Carlos Nahuel Recabarren, has won a UNESCO design competition to create a Cultural Centre in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. From more than 1,000 design proposals that were submitted in the single stage competition – which opened in November 2014 – Carlos Nahuel Recabarren, Manuel Alberto Martinez Catalan and Franco Morero’s project, entitled ‘Descriptive Memory: The Eternal Presence of Absence’ was picked as the winner."

New Place banks government cash
stratford-herald.com, 12 February 2015

UNITED KINGDOM — "THE £5.25 million project to turn the last home of William Shakespeare in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon into a major tourist attraction has been given a major cash boost by the Government. The contribution to the New Place project - which the Herald understands is £1 million – comes just two weeks after the Heritage Lottery Fund pledged £1.8 million.
Government support for the landmark project has been announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer this morning (Thursday) and will come through the Department for Culture, Media and Sport via English Heritage."

Nelson Mandela's legacy more than symbolic
The Toronto Star, 9 February 2015

WORLD — "On Feb. 11, 1990, Nelson Mandela emerged from 27 years of imprisonment as a political prisoner of the South African government. On that memorable day, 25 years ago this week, the world greeted his release with relief and jubilation. Mandela’s release signalled the beginning of the end of apartheid and began the country’s journey towards the first democratic government. He was elected president in April 1994. Mandela’s approach to nation-building is perhaps the world’s most remarkable example of commitment to democratic ideals in our time. Consider for example his concluding words to the court in 1964 when he faced the possible death penalty for so-called treason: “I cherish the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities... It is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Facing the prospect of death by the state, Mandela held fast to his principles."

Whitworth Art Gallery to reopen after major renovations
leisureopportunities.co.uk, 5 February 2015

ENGLAND — "Manchester, UK’s “gallery in the park” will reopen its doors on 14 February following a £15m (US$23m, €20m) makeover by architectural firm MUMA. The work doubles the public space and extends the exhibition floor, while incorporating educational areas and a storage centre. The contemporary art gallery, in the grounds of the University of Manchester, has had two wings added to the rear of the 19th-century building. The extension's brickwork takes its inspiration from patterns in the gallery’s textile collection. Inside, an Edwardian staircase has also been renovated."

Los Penasquitos Canyon to get $2 million ranger station
sandiego6.com, 4 February 2015

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA — "A groundbreaking was held Tuesday for a $2 million ranger station in the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve. The 1,100-square-foot ranch-style facility at the corner of Mercy and Black Mountain roads will provide four offices for park rangers, a reception area, an information kiosk, an interpretive panel, a horse hitching post and a bike rack. The area surrounding the station will be landscaped using native, drought-tolerant plants."

Wartime tunnel network on Dover's White Cliffs to become visitor attraction
leisureopportunities.co.uk, 2 February 2015

ENGLAND — "A new attraction on the White Cliffs of Dover is under development, with the National Trust set to open up a network of wartime underground tunnels to the public. Due to open in May, the tunnels at Fan Bay were used for detecting the approach of enemy aircraft during World War Two. Speaking at a public Dover Society meeting, National Trust visitor experience manager for the region Jon Barker said that 70 volunteers are now being sought to act as tunnel guides for the attraction."

Construction contract agreed for an Artists' Garden in Qingdao, China
leisuremanagement.co.uk, 30 January 2015

CHINA — "A construction contract has been agreed for the 70,000sq m (753,000sq ft) "Artists’ Garden" that will encompass a new museum, marina and art studios in Qingdao, China. Designed by Ateliers Jean Nouvel, the architecture firm behind Beijing’s new National Art Museum of China (NAMOC), this vast project will not only have a museum, hosting some of the NAMOC’s exhibitions, but also hotel rooms, restaurants and copious amounts of landscaped outdoor space."

Government of Canada Supports Nunavut's Cultural Sector
news.gc.ca, 29 January 2015

IQALUIT, NU — "Office of the Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), and Minister for the Arctic Council. Minister Aglukkaq announced today an investment to support the continued development of Nunavut’s arts and craft sector by increasing national and international promotion of Inuit art. The Government of Canada is providing funding to help promote Inuit artists in national art galleries and museums, as well as in emerging international markets. The funding will also support the development of an Inuit art website, work towards creating a permanent art exhibit at Iqaluit’s new airport and updates to the Nunavut Arts and Craft Association’s (NACA) strategic plan. In addition, NACA will undertake a number of initiatives to increase capacity in the sector, such as an art business-related skills development workshop."

Museum of Wisconsin Art's finds success with new 'short story' approach to exhibits
jsonline.com, 28 January 2015

WISCONSIN, USA — "Sometimes walking into a major exhibition at an art museum can feel a little like trying to take in "War and Peace" on a lunch hour. There's simply too much to take in. Except, in the case of an exhibit, the problem can be compounded. Unlike a book that unfurls word after word, an art show can offer an overwhelming array of choices. Do I look at this or that? Do I linger over a few works or scan the whole thing? Do I read the text labels or not? Laurie Winters, who organized the respected but vast "Biedermeier: The Invention of Simplicity" furniture and decorative arts exhibit at the Milwaukee Art Museum in 2006, among many other shows, is now the director of the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend. Her thinking about the way art exhibits should be designed has changed. She's convinced that museums have about 20 minutes to engage people before they hit a state of cognitive overload. So one of the goals for MOWA has been to design exhibits that are more like novellas or short stories than epic tomes."

National Galleries in £15m bid to build on Gardens
edinburghnews.scotsman.com, 28 January 2015

SCOTLAND — "The National Gallery is to expand into Princes Street Gardens as part of £15 million plans to create a “world-class” home for its Scottish collections in the heart of the Capital. Directors are negotiating with the city council to acquire a strip of land in the east of the Gardens, allowing them to push the gallery wall out by five metres – bringing it in line with the existing extension – and dramatically increase the area dedicated to work by the nation’s greatest artists."

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