Baltimore Museum of Art
Baltimore, Maryland
Major Capital Upgrades to a Masterful Museum Building
In anticipation of its centennial celebration, the Baltimore Museum of Art embarked upon a three-year capital renovation program. The ambitious, multi-phased effort was designed to transform galleries, improve the visitor experience, and upgrade building systems. Mueller Associates has supported the museum for decades, engineering MEP improvements throughout the circa-1920s main building, originally designed by John Russell Pope, as well as the wings added in 1983 and 1994.
The latest $28 million modernization included extensive renovations to galleries in the Contemporary Art and American wings, the addition of a new black box gallery, a 5,500-square-foot learning and creativity center, new lighting, upgraded building systems, and installation of a state-of-the-art building automation system (BAS). Careful phasing of the project enabled the museum to remain open to visitors throughout construction.
- A three-year, phased capital renovation of a 210,000-SF museum
- Original 1920s-era building designed by John Russell Pope
- Modernization designed to transform the visitor experience
- Comprehensive upgrades to the MEP and life safety systems
- New building automation system helps protect 95,000 works of art
- Mueller has completed more than 40 projects at the BMA since the 1970s
Architect
Ziger/Snead Architects
Client History
2021: Marder Center for Matisse Studies
2021: Center for Prints, Drawings and Photographs; Quinn Evans
2016: Thailheimer Auditorium Renovation; Marshall Craft Associates
2016: Air Handling Units Replacement Fans
2015: Conservation Laboratory Window Heating; Marshall Craft Associates
2015: Building Automation System; Ziger/Snead Architects
2014: Phased Renovations; Ziger/Snead Architects
2014: Air Handling Unit Replacements
2010: West Wing/NW Wing Cone Building; Marshall Craft Associates
2009: Thalheimer Wing Third-Floor Study
2005: Chiller Replacement and Upgrade
2005: Master Plan; Ayers Saint Gross
1999: Alterations to Cone Wing Main Floor
1994: Northwest Expansion; BLT Architects
1993: Roof Replacement; Marshall Craft Associates
1988: Museum Shop; BLT Architects
1987: Halon System for Print Vault
1980: Woodward Mary Jacobs Wing; BLT Architects
1975: Environmental Control
Awards
- 2016 AIABaltimore Grand Design Award
Consulting Services
“Renovating the Baltimore Museum of Art”
Read an overview of the modernization in IAMFA’s Papyrus magazine
“The Baltimore Museum of Art Opens its New American Wing”
“New Day at the BMA as it Reopens the American Wing; Turns 100”
View additional Cultural, Museum, and Preservation projects
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This unprecedented physical transformation is vital to the BMA’s future. We want to ensure the museum is relevant to future generations of museum goers and an even greater cultural magnet for the region.
Doreen Bolger
Director, Baltimore Museum of Art
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Mueller had the enormously important responsibility of engineering the infrastructure improvements including the building automation system. They not only understand the unique requirements of the museum environment but are also very familiar with our mechanical and electrical systems.
Alan Dirican, CFM
Former Deputy Director for Operations and Capital Planning, Baltimore Museum of Art
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The BMA has been an excellent steward of both its collections and its landmark building. We’ve been privileged to assist the museum’s ongoing modernization programs since the 1970s.
Steve Gillis, PE
Vice President, Mueller Associates
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We greatly appreciate Mueller’s attention to detail and its great respect for this historic context. Our work together was appropriately discreet, subtle, and effective.
Steve Ziger
Principal, Ziger/Snead Architects
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This was a difficult project to accomplish and the design team did an amazing job. It is clear that the experience of the visitor is central to the project’s design goals…It is very hard to insert new elements, systems, and materials in a way that doesn’t detract from the art. The new interventions are very sensitive. It takes strength to look back and unravel past decisions and reset the institution.”
AIABaltimore Design Awards Jury
-
This unprecedented physical transformation is vital to the BMA’s future. We want to ensure the museum is relevant to future generations of museum goers and an even greater cultural magnet for the region.
Doreen Bolger
Director, Baltimore Museum of Art
-
Mueller had the enormously important responsibility of engineering the infrastructure improvements including the building automation system. They not only understand the unique requirements of the museum environment but are also very familiar with our mechanical and electrical systems.
Alan Dirican, CFM
Former Deputy Director for Operations and Capital Planning, Baltimore Museum of Art
-
The BMA has been an excellent steward of both its collections and its landmark building. We’ve been privileged to assist the museum’s ongoing modernization programs since the 1970s.
Steve Gillis, PE
Vice President, Mueller Associates
-
We greatly appreciate Mueller’s attention to detail and its great respect for this historic context. Our work together was appropriately discreet, subtle, and effective.
Steve Ziger
Principal, Ziger/Snead Architects
-
This was a difficult project to accomplish and the design team did an amazing job. It is clear that the experience of the visitor is central to the project’s design goals…It is very hard to insert new elements, systems, and materials in a way that doesn’t detract from the art. The new interventions are very sensitive. It takes strength to look back and unravel past decisions and reset the institution.”
AIABaltimore Design Awards Jury