After years of planning, Minnesota Museum of American Art (the M) opened a brand new facility to the public in December 2018. This new, permanent home is a project that has been years in the making. For years, the M organized touring shows and presented nationally recognized exhibitions and programs in its Project Space gallery, housed in the Pioneer-Endicott complex, originally designed in large part by famed architect Cass Gilbert. But behind the scenes, civic leaders, community supporters, trustees, and M staff worked mobilized city and state support to realize the dream of building a permanent home for the M in this historic location.
Like its smaller Project Space gallery, the new M is located in the Historic Pioneer Endicott, but its front entrance has moved. Note: the museum now has a new street address: 350 Robert Street North, St. Paul, 55101. Admission to the new M will remain free.
The museum’s Josephine Adele Ford Center for Creativity—named for the St. Paul woman who ran 3 to 7 Playways, a company that created play and teaching materials for preschoolers—also opened with the new facility in December. The M began as a school of art, and the museum is reviving that legacy with 4,000 square feet devoted to arts education. Explore a variety of studio classes, led by local artists at the top of their game and geared for adult learners, including: drawing, oil painting, Hmong embroidery, rope-stitch jewelry, weaving, printmaking, and more.
In addition to studio art and craft classes for adults and youth, the Ford Center for Creativity will be home to community convenings, drop-in art-making, and family activities.
About the Minnesota Museum of American Art
The Minnesota Museum of American Art is one of the oldest visual arts organizations in Minnesota, with roots stretching back to the 19th century. Based in St. Paul, the M currently holds more than 5,000 artworks that showcase the unique voices of American artists, guided by the belief that art should reflect the constantly shifting landscape that defines the American experience. The new M opened in December 2018 with 16,000 square feet of exhibition, learning, and gathering spaces. In 2021, the museum will expand further with the opening of its permanent collection galleries. Upon completion of this second phase of construction, the new M will cover 36,000 square feet of space on the first floor of the Pioneer Endicott.
For details about the new M’s upcoming events, exhibitions, and classes, look for updates on mmaa.org, or follow @mnmuseum on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Minnesota Museum of American Art
350 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55101
Located in the Historic Pioneer Endicott
651.797.2571
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