Muskegon Museum of Art receives Building Award from AIA Michigan

The Muskegon Museum of Art Foundation broke ground on its first expansion project in 30 years, led by Boston-based Annum Architects (previously Ann Beha Architects) and Mathison | Mathison Architects, along with owner’s representative Construction Simplified, both of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1912, the Muskegon Museum of Art holds a significant collection of American and European artworks, sculpture and studio glass. The 26,000 SF expansion is driven by a renewed vision for exhibitions programming, collections growth, and community outreach through new exhibition spaces, an outdoor sculpture plaza, museum shop, classrooms, events space, and a roof terrace. Due to generous donations from two of the country’s leading art collectors, the Museum will soon be one of the only museums in the world to have a permanent space dedicated to the work of women artists.

A leader in museum design, Annum has completed award-winning buildings for the Shelburne Museum, the Currier Museum of Art, the New Britain Museum of American Art, the Portland Art Museum, and the Center for Netherlandish Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Other recent work includes master plans for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History and the State Museum of Pennsylvania, the renovation and expansion Mattatuck Museum, and renovation of Chicago’s landmark Newberry Library.

We were thrilled to celebrate our 2025 Buildy Award Honorable Mention for the Mattatuck Museum Renovation & Expansion at the Building Museums Symposium in St. Louis, Missouri. This national award from the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums (MAAM) recognizes the most outstanding recent museum building projects, and to help increase awareness of the value of museums and the need for their ongoing rehabilitation and expansion to serve future generations.

Founded in 1877, the Mattatuck Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut is a keeper of artifacts and place for community engagement around regional history and Connecticut-based art. Our revitalization project transformed the museum into an inclusive, community-focused cultural hub. Key features include a new public entry plaza, a 3,300 square foot roof terrace for programming and events, and light-filled classrooms to support educational initiatives. Large windows invite passersby to engage with exhibitions, creating a seamless connection between the museum and downtown life.

Thank you to MAAM for recognizing Mattatuck Museum’s dedication to community impact through its renovation and expansion. Congratulations to our client and design team, including:

GNCB Consulting Engineers (Structural); Altieri (MEP/FP Engineering); Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting (Lighting); Solutions Engineering (Code); SLR (Landscape/Civil); Wil-Spec, LLC (Specifications); Downes Construction (Construction Management); Chuck Choi (Photography).

Our renovation and expansion for Peterborough Town Library received an AIA New Hampshire Honor Award for Excellence in Architecture Design and we were thrilled to celebrate! The AIANH Awards Celebration took place at the Capitol Center for the Arts Bank of NH Stage in Concord, New Hampshire, where we learned about the excellent work of our peers across the design community.

Peterborough Town Library in Peterborough, NH was founded in 1833 and is the oldest tax-supported public library in the world. The awards jury noted, “The design celebrates the rich history of the original building in its use of similar building materials, proportions, and rhythm. The jury was struck by the restraint in the building materials palette, and particularly by the thoughtful and sensitive orientation of fenestration to create either lively public spaces or contemplative reading areas.”

Thank you to AIA New Hampshire Chapter for this honor and memorable celebration, and congratulations to our project team!

Photos by John Hession – New Millenium Studios.