The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City has selected the New York-based firm Weiss Manfredi Architecture Landscape Urbanism to lead a $160–170 million campus expansion. The decision followed an international competition that drew 182 firms from 30 countries, with six finalists—including Kengo Kuma & Associates, Renzo Piano Building Workshop, Selldorf Architects, Studio Gang, and Why Architecture—presenting concepts publicly. Weiss Manfredi's design places a new 61,000-square-foot wing to the southwest of the original 1933 Beaux-Arts building, mirroring the Steven Holl Architects addition from 2007, and features curved glass walls that open onto the sculpture park. The project aims to accommodate growing attendance, which has doubled since director Julián Zugazagoitia joined in 2010, reaching about 600,000 visitors annually.
This expansion matters because it reflects a broader trend of major US museums investing in physical growth to serve increasingly diverse and younger audiences, while maintaining free admission. The Nelson-Atkins' transparent, community-informed selection process and its focus on integrating architecture with the beloved Dan Kiley-designed sculpture park set a model for inclusive institutional planning. The new wing will provide flexible contemporary galleries, education spaces, and event facilities, positioning the museum to potentially reach one million visitors within a decade and reinforcing its role as a cultural anchor in the Midwest.