Although we hear about coronavirus restrictions, and many public buildings are still closed, some museums are now being actively renovated and reopened. In this post, we will look into the top 3 prominent museums around the globe being closed for renovation and reopened in 2021.
#1 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts Museum (Los Angeles)
On September 30, 2021, the Museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts opened in Los Angeles under the patronage of the Motion Picture Academy. For the museum, it was decided not to erect a building but to reconstruct the existing one making it feature modern architecture trends. And the Saban building (from 1939) was chosen for this purpose. It is Renzo Piano, Pritzker Prize-winning architect, and his Renzo Piano Building Workshop were invited to lead the project.
Renzo Piano significantly rethought the original building. The architect added a spherical volume of steel and concrete to the six-story Art Deco building. It is covered with 1,500 pieces of glass tiles in almost 150 different shapes and sizes. The volumes are interconnected by three passages. At the very top of the spherical building, there is a terrace overlooking the Hollywood Hills. The new Academy of Motion Picture Arts Museum covers 4,600 square meters of exhibition space, two theaters, a shop, a restaurant, and the Shirley Temple Education Center.
#2 – The Francois Pinault Museum (Paris)
The main dream of billionaire and philanthropist Francois Pinault has come true. On May 22, the Foundation for Contemporary Art opened in Paris. The building was reconstructed by the Japanese architect and Pritzker Prize winner – Tadao Ando. The work on the project lasted three years, and the opening, originally scheduled for June 2020, was postponed several times due to the pandemic.
The entire building is quite original and authentic. Large-scale restoration work has been carried out in the building: ancient architectural details, large-scale paintings on the ceiling, lamps and a majestic glass dome have been restored. In this way, this project was aimed at linking the past, present, and future together.
In the center of the museum, the architect has placed a reinforced concrete cylinder 9 meters high and 29 meters wide. The object serves as a platform for art exhibitions and installations. Around it, there is a collection of contemporary art by François Pinault himself. The François Pinault Foundation for Contemporary Art is projected to exhibit more than 10,000 works created by approximately 380 artists, in different genres – from painting and sculpture to video art, contemporary photography, and installations.
#3 – MoMu Fashion Museum (Antwerp)
MoMu is an international fashion museum located in the heart of Antwerp. The shared space and active connections with the key players in Antwerp’s fashion allow MoMu to always be at the forefront of the fashion agenda and develop dynamically.
On 4 September 2021, MoMu Fashion Museum opened its doors to visitors again after a large-scale reconstruction, which was managed by the B-Architecten bureau. The architects tried to adhere to the original design of Marie-José Van Hee, who designed the building. They kept the main decoration of the museum intact. During the reconstruction, about 800 square meters of additional space was added. The “upgraded version of the museum” covers a cafe and gift shop, as well as an exhibition hall.
For the first time in history, MoMu can showcase its permanent collection and attract more visitors in between temporary exhibitions. A hall with a retractable stage has also been designed, which will allow the museum to hold more readings, conferences, and educational sessions. The museum’s library has been enlarged; it is now able to accommodate the entire rich collection of books on art, fashion history, textiles, costume, etc. In addition, the repositories and restoration workshops have been completely renovated. This will allow the museum to preserve its collections and archives for future generations in optimal conditions.
Look Ahead at the Key Renovated Museums
After being unable to travel for most of the previous year, many people are hungry to set foot in an art gallery or museum again this year. Fortunately, many museums have been renovated and are ready now to welcome their visitors in 2021. At least, you now know the top three museums whose doors are now open again.
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