Ennead Architects has broken ground on the construction of an addition to the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) in Salem, Massachusetts, the country’s oldest continuously operating museum (since 1799).
The expansion project includes a new 40,000 square foot wing and 17,500 square feet of renovation to adjacent structures. Upon completion, total gallery space will be increased by 15% for a total of 100,000 square feet, making the Peabody Essex into one of the top 20 art museums in the country.
"Designed to clarify and strengthen the Museum’s current programming, the new wing will enhance the older sections of the museum while providing new gallery spaces dedicated to the presentation of the museum’s extensive collection, creating a new, unified sequence throughout," says lead designer and Ennead partner Richard Olcott.
The new wing will be located on the northwest corner of the museum complex, linking the East India Marine Hall to the east, the Asian Export Art Wing to the south, and a new 5,000 SF garden to the west. Behind the structure’s stone and glass facade, a three-story gallery space will connect to the existing museum through a double-height glass atrium, bringing natural light into the building.
“This naturally lit, interior atrium brings the historic Salem street fabric into the museum while providing new space for circulation, respite and events,” explain the architects in a press release.
The project is led by Richard Olcott along with management partner Molly McGowan. The new wing is scheduled to open to the public in 2019.
News via Ennead Architects.
