Memphis Art Museum Building Tennessee, TN architecture design, Herzog and de Meuron United States work
Major modern US architectural development design by Herzog and de Meuron Architects
January 22, 2026
Design: Herzog and de Meuron
Location: Memphis, Tennessee, USA
Memphis Art Museum Building in Tennessee, USA
Memphis Art Museum Unveils Curatorial Vision For New Downtown Cultural Campus Ahead Of December 2026.
Memphis Art Museum Construction photos by Houston Cofield
Memphis Art Museum building design renders Courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron
Memphis Art Museum Building Design in Tennessee
Thursday 22 January 2026 – As it prepares to open its downtown campus in December 2026, Memphis Art Museum today shared updated renderings, construction photography, and a first look at its curatorial vision for the new Herzog & de Meuron-designed building, which remains rooted in the history, culture, and community of Memphis.
“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.
Founded in 1916, the museum is the largest and oldest world art museum in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas, with a collection of nearly 10,000 works spanning 5,000 years of global human history. Collection strengths include Old Master paintings gifted by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation; American art of the late 19th and 20th centuries; and deep holdings in photography.
Since announcing its new home, the museum has received several transformational gifts, including 80 works by local, national, and international contemporary Black artists, which were acquired through the museum’s Blackmon Perry Initiative. Selected artists include Samford Biggers, Brittney Boyd Bullock, Jordan Casteel, Torkwase Dyson, Alteronce Gumby, Hew Locke, and Ebony Patterson. The acquisition is supported by the Blackmon Perry Endowment, which also supports a Curator of African American Art and Art of the African Diaspora, and provides funds for exhibitions, catalogues, and acquisitions.
Other growth in the collection comes from the renowned Hooks Brothers Studio archive—more than 75,000 photographs documenting Black life, excellence, and joy in the American South between 1900 and 1984–a promised gift to Memphis Art Museum from Andrea Herenton and board trustee Rodney Herenton.
“The construction of a new museum has given us a rare opportunity to not simply display more art, but to reimagine how we think about history, power, creativity and connection,” said Dr. Patricia Lee Daigle, Chief Curator of Memphis Art Museum. “We’re able to present the collection in ways that reflect the lived realities of the city that we serve.”
When the museum opens, its galleries will be organised into 18 distinct exhibitions that highlight the collection’s strengths while drawing connections across time, geography, and medium. The museum’s new architecture enables visual and conceptual dialogue between galleries, reinforcing themes that move through the museum. The museum will announce artworks that have been commissioned for its new cultural campus and the opening exhibition program in the coming months.
Liberation is one throughline that connects galleries across the courtyard. One exhibition is anchored by Henry Sharp Studio’s Warren Black Gospel Window, on view for the first time, a remarkable early depiction of Christ and three biblical women as Black. This work will be in conversation with another exhibition across the courtyard, which explores the liberatory potential of jazz for Black American abstract artists, highlighted in the museum’s beloved Azure by Sam Gilliam.
Henry Sharp Studio, Warren Black Gospel Window: Christ in Conversation with Mary, Martha, and Samaritan Woman, 1877
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and architect of record archimania with landscape design by OLIN, the new 123,500-square-foot museum expands the institution’s existing gallery space by 50 percent and provides 600 percent more art-filled free public space, including a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard at street level and a 50,000-square-foot rooftop sculpture garden.
Ascan Mergenthaler, Senior Partner, Herzog & de Meuron, stated, “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. 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.”
Occupying an entire city block, the new museum redefines downtown Memphis. The building’s design captures the warmth and texture of the region, with natural tones inspired by the clay banks of the Mississippi River. An open invitation to the city, its transparent glass façade, and street-level galleries will let passersby see the art inside and encourage creativity to spill out onto the sidewalks, blurring the line between the museum and Memphis itself. The building is a new connection between downtown and the riverfront, and a public plaza shared with the historic Cossitt Library will create a lively cultural commons along the bluff. At its center, a broad, shaded courtyard will serve as a civic hub and gathering space.
Encircling the courtyard in a continuous, single-story loop, the galleries will provide generous, flexible spaces for displaying the museum’s diverse art collection. Five galleries will include large windows overlooking either the Mississippi River or the community courtyard. Nearby, light-filled classrooms with ideal northern exposure will offer inspiring spaces for making and learning art at every level—from school groups to adult artists—further connecting the act of seeing art with creating it.
Atop the building is a full-roof garden—an “art park in the sky”—that will feature sculptures, native plants, an event pavilion, and sweeping views of Downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River. A view of the river is accessible at every level of the building, with a framed view of the historic waterway and an elevated overlook of the horizon.
The building is among the first major U.S. museums constructed using laminated timber. Wood elements incorporated throughout the campus serve as a defining architectural element, from the entry porch and lobby to galleries, the café, education areas, classrooms, and event areas.
The museum will open during a year of major cultural milestones across the city, including expansions at the National Civil Rights Museum and the National Ornamental Metal Museum. These new projects join an existing dense cultural sector, including three ballet companies, four theater groups, and five museums documenting Memphis’ pivotal role in the history of blues, rock, and soul.
“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.
Herzog & de Meuron
Memphis Art Museum
Opening in December 2026 along the Mississippi River, Memphis Art Museum is the reimagined home of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. As a 123,500-square-foot cultural campus, it offers expanded galleries, abundant public spaces, and new studios for learning and creativity. Designed as an open invitation to the city, the museum serves as a home for creativity and community, where Memphians and visitors gather, connect, and experience the power of art. With world-class architecture, a rooftop sculpture garden, and year-round cultural programming.
Herzog & de Meuron Architects
Memphis Art Museum Architecture Design
Memphis Art Museum – Architectural Project Description
Memphis Art Museum will open its new cultural campus in the heart of Downtown Memphis along the Mississippi River in December 2026. The 123,500-square-foot building—designed by Pritzker Prize winners Herzog & de Meuron in collaboration with architect of record archimania—will offer 50 percent more gallery space and six times more art-filled free and public spaces, including a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard, a 50,000-square-foot rooftop “art park in the sky,” an outdoor amphitheater with stunning views of the Mississippi River, and an expansive pedestrian plaza that will be shared by the museum and Cossitt Library.
With its dynamic form, light-filled galleries, and thoughtfully designed public spaces, the building reimagines what an art museum can be: a vibrant hub where art and community converge.
As the oldest and largest art museum in Tennessee, Memphis Art Museum holds a collection of more than 10,000 works representing the city’s artistic legacy and welcoming global perspectives. By expanding access, deepening community engagement, and offering year-round cultural programming, the museum’s new campus will inspire creativity, drive economic growth, and reinforce Memphis’ position as a cultural destination for generations to come.
Location: 55 S. Front St. Memphis, TN 38103
Opening Date: December 2026
Design Architect: Herzog & de Meuron
Architect of Record: archimania
Landscape Design: OLIN
Site Area; 91,500 square feet
Height: 1 story (30 feet) Gallery Pavilion atop 2 story (27 feet) Base
Program Areas
Gross Floor Area (interior):123,500 square feet (excluding garage)
Exhibition Area: 30,000 square feet
Public Space (interior and exterior): 82,000 square feet (Courtyard, Entry Porch, Lobby, Theater, River Overlook, Monroe Plaza, & Rooftop Sculpture Garden
Design Highlights
The museum’s design comprises two main elements: a gallery pavilion and a reconstructed bluff that serves as its sloping base. Together, they form one sculptural building that mediates between downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River, inviting Memphians back to the riverfront. All public-facing amenities, including the store, café lobby, and galleries, are on one level to bring more accessible arts experiences to Memphis.
Building Materials
The building is among the first major U.S. museums constructed using laminated mass timber. Its wood elements incorporated throughout the campus honor Memphis’ legacy as the Hardwood Capital of the World. The building’s design captures the warmth and texture of the region, with natural tones inspired by the clay banks of the river.
Referencing the natural bluff landscape, the exterior cladding of the pavilion and base recalls the warm earthen hues of the exposed clay along the Mississippi River. Inside the pavilion, the timber structure is exposed. Overall, the pavilion’s design is distinctive in the South, reinforcing and honoring architectural and design traits that are native to the region.
Front Porch
A welcoming entrance is designed to beckon visitors from Front Street. The museum’s shaded entry court and transparent glass façade allow passersby to see inside, blurring the line between the museum and Memphis itself. Sidewalks surrounding the museum along Front Street and Union Avenue are up to 30 feet deep and lined with trees, connecting the never-before-completed Bluff Walk.
Central Courtyard
Spanning 10,000 square feet, the museum’s expansive community courtyard serves as a vibrant, open-air hub for the public. Free and accessible to all during museum hours, this versatile space will host cultural celebrations such as Dia de los Muertos, Lunar New Year, and Chalkfest, while also transforming seasonally to house the museum’s immersive Summer and Winter Art Gardens.
River Window and Amphitheater
The stairs connecting the Central Courtyard down to the River Window are designed to be an amphitheater and platform for Memphis’ performing arts program. The amphitheater functions as a public gathering space with a direct view of the Mississippi River and clear sightlines to both Memphis bridges.
Gallery Spaces
A continuous single-story loop of ground-floor galleries houses exhibitions. Five galleries include large windows overlooking either the Mississippi River or the community courtyard, keeping visitors connected to the landscape and city life. More than 18 concepts will be on view at any given time, increasing existing gallery space by 50 percent. Gallery spaces also include intentional ceiling height variation, including soaring double-height galleries that allow larger pieces to breathe.
Theater and Auditorium
The theater features state-of-the-art recording and broadcasting technology, equipped with artist-designed soundproof curtains. When not
in use, the stage, which is at the floor level, becomes a gathering space for people to connect and see out over Front Street and into the
Courtyard, or across the skyline.
Rooftop Sculpture Garden
The rooftop sculpture garden with panoramic views of the river and downtown skyline features a quarter-mile walking trail with native plants, green space, sculpture, and murals.
Education and Interactive Spaces
Daylight filled education studios offer expanded space for public programming, with the capacity to double the number of student visits annually. Interactive art making will also be available to the public anytime the museum is open, sparking creativity in artists of all ages.
Restaurant and Café
A destination restaurant, operating independently from the museum, has a dedicated entrance accessible when the museum is closed. The dining room will feature double-height ceilings with acoustic/lighting installations and a 20-seat bar, as well as a large catering kitchen.
Accessibility + Inclusion
All public spaces are ADA accessible. There also is an ADA-compliant access point from Front Street down to the Mississippi River, one of the only ADA routes to the riverfront, which connects the museum, Cossitt Library, the waterfront, the amphitheater, and Monroe Plaza to the riverfront.
Convenient on-site parking is more expansive than at the museum’s current location, and the walk from the parking areas to the lobby will be a shorter distance by 25%. Conveniently located just two minutes off I-40 via Riverside Drive, the museum offers an easy, direct route from most parts of the city
Memphis Art Museum, Tennessee, USA – Building Information
Design Architect: Herzog & de Meuron, Basel, Switzerland
Partners:
Jacques Herzog, Founding Partner
Pierre de Meuron, Founding Partner
Ascan Mergenthaler, Senior Partner, Partner in Charge
Project Team:
Philip Schmerbeck, Associate, Studio Director USA (Project Director)
Jack Brough, Associate (Project Manager)
Iwona Boguslawska, Marija Brdarski, Eva Cicvaric, Carly Dean, Silja Ebert, Ahmed Fetahu, Alejandra Figueroa, Carly Gertler, Ciarán Grogan, Daria Kleymenicheva, Meng Ma, Nathan Mehl, Daniel Min, Jaume Prieto Cuétara, Martin Jonathan Raub, Janice Rim, Melodie Sanchez, Ken Sheppard, Emma Sherefkin, Xin Yue Wang, Matthew Webb, Bifu Wen, Ekaterina Wittwer-Nuzhdina
Architect of Record: archimania, Memphis, TN, USA
Todd Walker, FAIA, Founder & Partner
Barry Alan Yoakum, FAIA, Partner
Matt Seltzer, AIA, Principal
Landscape Architect: OLIN, Philadelphia, PA, USA
MEPFP Engineering: Kohler Ronan, Danbury, CT, USA
Structural Engineering: Hatfield Group, New York, NY, USA
Civil Engineering: Powers Hill Design, Memphis, TN, USA
Plumbing & Fire Protection Engineering: Innovation Engineering Solutions, Bartlett, TN, USA
Electrical Engineering: DePouw Engineering, Germantown, TN, USA
Strategic Project Planning (Pre-Project – Concept Phase): Deborah Frieden & Associates, Oakland, CA, USA
Construction Management: Grinder, Taber & Grinder, Inc., Memphis, TN, USA
Cost Estimating: Venue. Cost Consulting, St. Petersburg, FL, USA
Client Representative (SD-CD): Envoie Projects, New York, NY, USA
Client Representative (CA): Compass Partners, Nashville, TN, USA
Acoustic & AV/IT Consulting: Jaffe Holden, Norwalk, CT, USA
Building Code Consulting: Code Solutions Group, Memphis, TN, USA
Commissioning: Haltom Engineering, Memphis, TN, USA
Facade Consulting: Front, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, USA
Food Service:JGL, Princeton, NJ, USA
Geotechnical Consulting: Geotechnology, Inc., Memphis, TN, USA
Kitchen / Catering Consulting: Fisher & Associates, Memphis, TN, USA
LEED Administration: Entegrity, Memphis, TN, USA
Lighting Consulting: Arup, New York, NY, USA
Local Horticulture: Plants + People, Memphis, TN, USA
Parking Consulting: Walker Parking, Indianapolis, USA
Retail Consulting: Lakeside Collaborative, New York, NY, USA
Security Design: Steve Keller and Associates, Ponte Vedra, FL, USA
Signage Design: Pentagram, New York, NY, USA
Surveyor: Geodesy, Memphis, TN, USA
Sustainability Consulting: Atelier Ten, New York, NY, USA
Theater Consulting: Schuler Shook, Dallas, TX, USA
Traffic Consulting: Kimley-Horn and Associates, Memphis, TN, USA
Vertical Circulation Consulting: Van Deusen and Associates, Marietta, GA, USA
Memphis Art Museum Construction photos: Houston Cofield
Memphis Art Museum Tennessee Building images / information from Chicago Athenaeum, USA
Address: Memphis, TN, United States of America
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