The art museum at Indiana University plans to make the building more engaging for visitors by undergoing a lengthy $30 million renovation. The museum is expected to close for renovations on May 14 and will re-open on the fall semester of 2019.
David Brenneman, Eskenazi Museum of Art director said the renovation is necessary because the building is old. The museum's building was designed by world-renowned architect I.M. Pei. Pei is a Chinese-American architect known for his style and designs, such as the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston, National Gallery of Art and the Louvre Pyramid in Paris to name a few.
Eskenazi Museum of Art's construction began in 1978, and it was completed in 1982 after opening in stages according to U.S. News.
Brenneman said that the renovation is also necessary because it is extraordinary for a small Midwestern city to have a museum with an extensive collection. He also said that many people are not aware of the gems hidden in the museum's triangular concrete structure in the heart of Indiana University's main campus.
They have already begun moving the museum's collection out of the building. Brenneman added that one of their greatest challenges is that no one knows what's inside the building.
The museum received a $15 million generous gift from Indianapolis-based philanthropists Sidney and Lois Eskenazi to help fund the renovation project according to The Indianapolis Business Journal. The donation was the largest cash gift given to the museum since its opening in 1982.
Sidney Eskenazi founded Sandor Development Company and a real-estate developer in Indianapolis, where he serves as chief executive. They have also donated nearly 100 works of art from their personal collection. Most of the art they donated were European and American prints from the 20th century, which also included pieces by Spanish artist Joan Miró.
