New renderings and construction updates have been released for the Memphis Art Museum, formerly the Memphis Brooks Art Museum, highlighting the project’s vision for a transformative cultural hub in downtown Memphis, Tennessee. Designed by the Pritzker Prize-winning Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with Archimania as Architect of Record and landscape design by OLIN, the museum integrates history, community, and contemporary design.
Slated to open in December 2026, the 123,500-square-foot museum will expand public access to art with 600% more free exhibition space, a 50,000-square-foot rooftop sculpture garden, and a 10,000-square-foot street-level community courtyard. The project was also featured in WAC’s Top 12 Exciting Architecture Projects expected to open in 2026.
With a collection of roughly 10,000 pieces spanning 5,000 years of human history, the museum was founded in 1916 and remains the largest and oldest art institution in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. Among its prized holdings are the Samuel H. Kress Foundation’s Old Master paintings, American art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and extensive photographic archives.
“With this building, our ambition is to be nothing less than transformational for Memphis. The city and its museum will rise as the most important and inspiring cultural destination in the Southeast – a place that draws people from near and far to experience the power of art, creativity, and community,” said Zoe Kahr, Executive Director, Memphis Art Museum.
“The rapid progress of the new museum’s construction is apparent, and it is incredibly rewarding to see the many spaces we envisioned coming to life,” added Ascan Mergenthaler, Senior Partner, Herzog & de Meuron.
“The timber-beamed galleries, the welcoming entrance lobby along Front Street, the expansive courtyard with its connection to the river, and the spectacular roof terrace overlooking the Mississippi floodplain are all taking shape. Already, the civic nature of the building is tangible, and one can sense the positive impact it will have on Memphis.”
The building occupies an entire city block and draws inspiration from the clay banks of the Mississippi River. Its translucent glass façade and street-level galleries allow the public to engage with the museum’s spaces, blurring the line between the city and the art within. A shared plaza with the historic Cossitt Library will create a lively cultural commons, while a shaded central courtyard will function as both a gathering space and municipal hub.
The museum’s galleries encircle the courtyard in a continuous, single-story ring with large windows providing views of both the Mississippi River and the community courtyard. North-facing classrooms provide optimal light for art creation, supporting education for all ages. The rooftop “art park in the sky” includes an event pavilion, sculptures, native plantings, and panoramic river vistas.
“The depth of a community’s belief in the arts is reflected in its willingness to invest boldly in spaces that invite imagination, dialogue, and connection. Our spectacular new home embodies that belief. It brings unprecedented clarity, visibility, and ambition to everything we do, signaling a new era not only for the museum, but for Memphis itself,” said Dr. Kahr.
The structure, one of the first major U.S. museums to use laminated wood extensively, integrates wood throughout its galleries, café, classrooms, and event spaces. The Memphis Art Museum’s reopening aligns with a year of significant cultural activities in the city, complementing existing institutions such as the National Civil Rights Museum and the National Ornamental Metal Museum, as well as Memphis’ rich performing arts and music history.
By combining innovative architecture, public engagement, and world-class collections, the Memphis Art Museum is poised to become a landmark cultural destination and an enduring symbol of the city’s commitment to the arts.
Originally reported by United States Architecture News in World Architecture.
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