Temporary Walls; Worth the Wait

by Matt Foss, project coordinator
We at the Woodson Art Museum don’t like barriers. Let me clarify. Our director, Kathy Foley doesn’t like barriers. Me, I love a good barrier. I’m enthralled by partitions, have a slight crush on hedgerows, and I adore a good blockade. It’s a good thing that I don’t call the shots here. If I did, the results of our current construction project probably would have the Museum looking like the giant garden maze in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

Jack Nicholson surveying garden maze in "The Shining."

Luckily for everyone, the Museum director and curators make the decisions. They’ve carefully examined our existing building and finalized renovation plans to improve visitors’ experiences in the main entrance, at the Visitor Services desk, and in Art Park, the Museum’s interactive gallery in the lower level.

Temporary wall in Art Park hints at good things to come.

At the Woodson Art Museum, we’re always striving to improve, and this project targets opportunities to better serve visitor needs, regulate the climate in some areas, and enhance public engagement with artwork on view. All three outcomes are critical to maintaining a world-class art museum.

Once again, the Woodson is partnering with local design/build firm The Samuels Group. They continue to be a receptive partner, listening to our ideas, creating appropriate plans, and beginning renovation work with enthusiasm and a keen attention to detail.

During the next few months, visitors will encounter some detours en route to the galleries and a few barriers in front of familiar spaces. Rest assured that good work is happening behind those walls and that most of the barriers are only temporary. We’re confident the end result will improve your Woodson Art Museum experience “forever, and ever, and ever.”

Creepy twins from "The Shining."