Nelson Atkins Museum of Art - Bloch Gallery Renovation

2017
BNIM Architects
Kansas City, MO

9,000 GSF

Museums & Galleries
Exhibitions

2018
IES National, Illumination Award of Merit

Renovated to incorporate the Marion and Henry Bloch Collection of Impressionist & Post-Impressionist Art, the updated Bloch Galleries at the Nelson-Atkins utilize high-performance lighting both as an integral design feature and an educational tool. Situated within the museum’s 1933 Beaux-Arts building, the galleries integrate 29 new masterworks—including works by Van Gogh, Manet and Gauguin—alongside the museum’s existing collection.

As part of the $12 million project, the Bloch Gallery’s lighting was devised to integrate the latest technology, creating more flexibility and granular control for the museum. Each space is illuminated by a wireless network of tunable LEDs comprised of laylights and track. At the touch of a button, both the color characteristics and intensity of the lighting can be adjusted across the galleries, without the need the attend to each fixture individually.

Designed for flexibility, the system gives curators control over any individual artwork or space. Curators can use the color and dimming capabilities to highlight different aspects of the work, or illuminate works in sequence, dimming the rest of the room as they move through the space. The renovation also includes the ‘Pastel Cabinet,’ a special room for dry pigment works on paper. The gallery is illuminated when there are people inside, but softly dims when empty.

Conceived as a thoughtful melding of technology and design, the lighting at the renovated Bloch Galleries supports the collection, deepening the interaction between visitor and artwork.