The Amon Carter Museum of American Art, which houses a diverse collection of North American artwork, including the pictured "Figure" by Morton Schamberg, is getting a facelift.
The iconic museum will greet future visitors with improvements to the museum's second-floor galleries, main entrance and updates to the Philip C. Johnson-designed 1961 building.
In addition, the museum will receive an upgraded climate-controlled vault currently under construction.
But don't worry, Fort Worthians, despite a slew of renovations in the works, the iconic five pillars of Johnson's original building, which overlooks downtown Fort Worth, will remain intact.
The new construction is set to begin in October after the museum's annual Party on the Porch, which will take place Sept. 29.
Improvements to the museum's upstairs galleries will include a new layout, as well as updated displays for permanent and temporary exhibits. During construction, guests will still be able to enjoy the museum's collection throughout the main galleries in the 1961 building.
The 1961 building's renovations will begin in spring 2019. This update includes improvements to the main entrance, plaza access points and navigability of the building. While visitors may be temporarily inconvenienced, these changes are meant to enhance the visitor experience with more open space and accessibility while maintaining the original design of the architecture.
The climate-controlled storage vault is currently under construction with an expected completion date this fall. This new vault is almost double the size of its previous storage and will house the museum's collection of over 45,000 prints, with room to spare for continued growth.
This isn't the first time the museum, which is known for its extensive collection of Old West-inspired pieces, has undergone significant changes. Since the museum's opening in January 1961, the building has experienced numerous additions and renovations, including a 14,000-square-foot addition in 1964 and a Johnson-designed expansion in 1977, which increased the museum's square footage by 36,600 square feet.
Between August 1999 and October 2001, the museum closed to the public when the "64 and "77 additions were demolished and replaced with another Johnson-designed extension. This would be one of Johnson's final projects.
The museum is expecting to complete all renovations by summer 2019.