New Aspen Art Museum projected to open on time this summer
The New Aspen Art Museum will be located at the corner of South Spring Street and Hyman Avenue in downtown Aspen. Rendering courtesy of Shigeru Ban Architects and Shimahara Illustration.
ASPEN, Colo. – In 1979 the Aspen Art Museum opened its doors at the renovated Holy Cross Power Plant on the banks of the Roaring Fork River. For 33 years that facility has served the mission of the organization well, fostering a program of art, dialogue, and creativity that has grown into a major cultural institution serving Aspen, the Roaring Fork Valley, the region, and the world.
The meteoric growth of the museum in recent years has seen a 200% increase in budget, number of students served, and annual visitors. A long-standing strategic goal for the AAM—the expansion of its facility and relocation to the downtown Aspen core—has become a necessitated reality to meet the ongoing demand for services to the community.
With the unanimous support of the AAM Board of Trustees, the initial fundraising success, the identification of Shigeru Ban as design architect, and the August 2011 acquisition of property at the corner of Spring Street and Hyman Avenue in Aspen, the AAM commenced construction in fall 2012 of a building appropriate for the production, presentation, and experience of art. The New Aspen Art Museum is 100% privately funded, and under the leadership of the AAM New Building Committee, will be completed within budget and on time for the summer of 2014.
The new 30,000 sq ft museum will feature 12,500 sq ft of gallery space. The museum is an affordable tourist destination, with free admision, education workshops, films, lectures and performances; as well as breathtaking rooftop views of Aspen Mountain.
Visit the museum online to monitor the building’s progress at www.aspenartmuseum.org.
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