Bass Museum Will Get A Massive $7.5 Million Expansion

Bass Museum of Art, the unimposing stone museum in the middle of Miami’s South Beach art deco district, will get a $7.5 million expansion grant from the city, The Real Deal reports.

The historic 1933 building saw its attendance numbers doubled after an Arata Isozaki-designed expansion in 2000. During Art Basel in Miami last year, the museum staged a show for celebrity architect Peter Marino’s contemporary art collection (see Peter Marino Is Packing Knives and Skulls for Debut Show in Miami).

To support its growing visitor rates, the museum will add to its existing 35,000 square-foot structure, which houses Miami residents John and Johanna Bass’s extensive art collection.

The plan, which was approved by the city’s Historic Preservation Board, includes an additional 10,000 square-feet of space, with a glass-enclosed courtyard terrace as well as a proposed exterior lighting infrastructure.

Just last year, the museum was named in a battle between the city and MOCA North Miami. MOCA was looking to merge with the Bass, but in the end, part of its collection headed to the newly opened ICA instead (see MOCA North Miami Donors: “Art is for Museum, Not for City”, The Battle Over MOCA North Miami Has Ended, and ICA Miami a Strong Addition to Thriving Miami Art Scene).

With all necessary paperwork in order, the Bass Museum will shut its doors on Sunday and construction will begin in August for a full year— just in time for the next frenzy of Art Basel in Miami, 2016.