Allied Works to design new Penn State University Art Museum

May 7, 2019

In early May, Allied Works was announced as the architect for Penn State’s new University Art Museum at the Arboretum in State College, Pennsylvania. At approximately 70,000 square feet, the project will showcase Penn State’s growing collection of art—already over 9,300 objects—and provide space for a range of special exhibitions, activities and events. The Museum will replace and build upon the 47-year legacy of the University’s current Palmer Museum of Art as an innovative, student-centered arts institution, and equally, it will anchor a new cultural district alongside the Arboretum and H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens.

A key goal of the project is for the Art Museum to enhance and complement the Arboretum, thus elevating the visibility and guest experience for both venues with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure. Already one of the most visited destinations in the region, the Arboretum is both a refuge and counterpart to Penn State’s main campus and a key space of engagement with the wider community, and the profoundly beautiful landscape of central Pennsylvania.

The announcement is the culmination of a three-stage, months-long selection process which included an initial roster of 34 leading architectural practices from across the globe. Building upon concepts and insights developed during the selection process, design of the estimated $71 million project is already in progress, with an anticipated completion in the fall of 2022.

For more information, please refer to the following press releases and articles:

Penn State University Press Release

Philadelphia Enquirer

In early May, Allied Works was announced as the architect for Penn State’s new University Art Museum at the Arboretum in State College, Pennsylvania. At approximately 70,000 square feet, the project will showcase Penn State’s growing collection of art—already over 9,300 objects—and provide space for a range of special exhibitions, activities and events. The Museum will replace and build upon the 47-year legacy of the University’s current Palmer Museum of Art as an innovative, student-centered arts institution, and equally, it will anchor a new cultural district alongside the Arboretum and H. O. Smith Botanic Gardens.

A key goal of the project is for the Art Museum to enhance and complement the Arboretum, thus elevating the visibility and guest experience for both venues with minimal disruption to existing infrastructure. Already one of the most visited destinations in the region, the Arboretum is both a refuge and counterpart to Penn State’s main campus and a key space of engagement with the wider community, and the profoundly beautiful landscape of central Pennsylvania.

The announcement is the culmination of a three-stage, months-long selection process which included an initial roster of 34 leading architectural practices from across the globe. Building upon concepts and insights developed during the selection process, design of the estimated $71 million project is already in progress, with an anticipated completion in the fall of 2022.

For more information, please refer to the following press releases and articles:

Penn State University Press Release

Philadelphia Enquirer