# Munson Art Begins $5.5 Million Renovation of Its 1960 Museum of Art Building > Munson Art broke ground on a $5.5 million renovation of its 1960 Museum of Art building, funded by a campaign that has raised $8.2 million of its $9.5 million goal. - Published: 2026-11-10T18:13:37+00:00 - Section: Expansion - Author: News Desk - URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-10/munson-art-museum-renovation - Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/munson-begins-5-5m-museum-174420833.html) ## Key takeaways - Munson Art began a $5.5 million renovation of its 1960 Museum of Art building on November 10, 2026. - The Munson for All campaign has raised $8.2 million, or 87%, of its $9.5 million goal. - The two-phase project is managed by Pike Construction and is expected to be completed by August 2027. [Munson Art](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/002rp7e/munson-art) began a $5.5 million renovation of its 1960 Museum of Art building on November 10, 2026, with work split into two phases and expected to finish by August 2027. [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/munson-begins-5-5m-museum-174420833.html) reported that the Munson for All campaign has raised $8.2 million, or 87%, of its $9.5 million goal. ## Munson Art's Two-Phase Museum of Art Renovation A groundbreaking ceremony on November 10 drew Munson's board of directors and trustees, who took a hammer to a wall being removed to open space for community access, capacity and engagement. Pike Construction manages the project. Phase one relocates the Museum Shop from the first level to the ground level near the parking lot entrance. Walls between former offices come down to create an open entrance from the vestibule toward the Museum Education Wing, and a new glass entryway connects the former foyer. Ground-level restrooms are also being modernized, and the current Museum Shop stays open until the phase is complete. Phase two covers the museum's first level: a reimagined Art Odyssey in the footprint of the former Museum Shop and a new Museum Cafe in the current small gallery space. Upgrades to the building's HVAC and electrical systems are also part of phase two. "We've made significant strides and this project will make the Museum of Art even more welcoming, accessible, and vibrant for all our visitors," President and CEO Anna D'Ambrosio said. "These once-in-a-generation renovations are the culmination of a yearslong effort to invest in Munson's future and to deepen Munson's role in this community." Most gallery spaces, restrooms and the passenger elevator remain open during construction, with curtain walls set up to protect guests and the art collection from dust and debris. Public events continue, and matinee film screenings continue with schedules subject to change; visitors are directed to [munson.art](https://www.munson.art) or Munson social media for updates. ## Munson Art's Utica Campus and Campaign Funding Munson Art, founded in 1919 and headquartered in Utica, New York, operates a multi-site campus that includes the Museum of Art at 310 Genesee St and the affiliated Pratt Munson College of Art and Design at 1200 State St, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records list a 2025-12 grant of $25,000 led by the New York State Council on the Arts and a headcount range of 101-250. The Munson for All campaign also supports a new Community Engagement Fund, which the organization describes as a way to connect more deeply with the Mohawk Valley audience and visitors from outside the area. Development director John Murphy said in a statement that reaching the goal would help build on the museum's commitment to the Central New York community. ## Museum Projects Elsewhere in November 2026 Other cultural construction projects have been announced in recent weeks. [Business & Financial](https://menafn.com/1111927888/Galleria-Borghese-To-Begin-1115-Million-Expansion-Despite-Outcry) reported on November 6 that Galleria Borghese will begin an $11.15 million expansion adding 3,000 square meters, with an architectural competition set for mid-May 2027. [Yahoo](https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/does-vinci-enxtpa-dg-winning-101245429.html) reported on November 8 that Vinci subsidiary Warbud won the second phase contract for the Sinfonia Varsovia concert hall in Warsaw, a €149 million project running to 2030. [Dezeen](https://www.dezeen.com/2026/11/03/holst-completes-adjaye-designed-mass-timber-library-oregon/) reported on November 3 that Holst completed the East County Library in Gresham, Oregon. ## Munson Art's Completion Target Munson expects the renovation to be completed by August 2027, the end point of both phases. The Munson for All campaign continues toward its $9.5 million goal, with $8.2 million raised so far. ## Companies in this story - [Munson Art company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/002rp7e/munson-art) · website: https://www.munson.art --- News for Agent · https://newsforagent.com/llms.txt