Muskegon Museum of Art Expansion Showcases Its Extensive Collections
Since its beginnings in the early 1900s, the Muskegon Museum of Art has had a far-reaching impact on the arts and culture scene in Muskegon, MI. The museum’s collection is so extensive that it recently underwent a massive expansion to share more of these incredible and dynamic works of art with the Muskegon community and beyond. Read on to learn more about the Muskegon Museum of Art expansion and its impact on the Muskegon community.
Founder Shared Fondness for ‘Pictures of the Best Kind’
When local philanthropist and lumber baron Charles Hackley died in 1905, he left a bequest in his will to fund the construction of new sites around the community, including a hospital, library and art gallery. The Hackley Art Gallery later became known as the Muskegon Museum of Art and originated as a means of preserving, in Hackley’s words, “pictures of the best kind.”
In the museum’s formative years, the Hackley Picture Fund kept an eye on promising young artists like Edward Hopper and John Steuart Curry, obtaining early works by these notable artists and building an extensive collection over time. Today, the museum is home to the only Edward Hopper work in Michigan, a 1922 oil painting titled “New York Restaurant,” and many works collected at the 1913 Armory Show, which introduced Modernist art to America.
“Because of that active collecting – of collecting ‘pictures of the best kind’ – we’ve built this huge, very impressive collection that you don’t find in small museums and galleries in the Midwest,” says Kristina Broughton, director of marketing for the Muskegon Museum of Art.
The museum’s collection now includes works spanning a variety of art movements and cultures, showcasing Midwestern artists along with works across all mediums from around the world.
“We are a big-city museum in a small community,” Broughton says.
Expansion Doubles Museum’s Size
After a 20-month expansion, which was completed in February 2025, the museum’s size was doubled. With five new galleries, two classrooms, an underground print gallery and sculpture park, visitors can experience more of the museum’s collection than ever before. The major exhibition space features up to 15 traveling exhibitions a year, while the permanent galleries showcase exquisite glassworks, paintings, photography and sculptures.
Along with these new additions, the museum doubled its vault space, which is now viewable to the public, making room for even more artworks as its collection grows.
“We’re actively bringing more artwork in,” Broughton says. “So we have more staff support space and storage space for this artwork.”
As part of the expansion, the museum gained a new exterior donated by Lorin Industries that transformed the building itself into a work of art; the custom siding reflects light at various angles throughout the day, creating an interplay of light and shadow that adds to the artistic experience.
Partnering with local organizations continues to be part of the museum’s mission, from hosting beer and wine tasting events with local breweries to youth programming through the Hackley Public Library, all of which help connect the arts to other aspects of Muskegon life.
“Art exists all around us in different forms,” Broughton says.
New Spaces Support Artists of the Future
The Muskegon Museum of Art aims to not only celebrate the masters of the past but to support artists of the present and future. Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt are the dedicated donors behind the museum’s Bennett Collection, a significant assembly of works painted by women in the figurative realist style. Their commitment to supporting women in the arts extends further through the annual Bennett Prize, which awards a working woman artist a cash prize and the chance to develop a body of work that will tour the country.
The museum also supports amateur and student artists through a variety of classes and exhibitions, from juried shows such as the Michigan Contemporary Art Exhibition to shows that are free for anyone to enter, such as the annual Postcard Salon.
“We are adding to the culture of this community and educating students about artwork and even careers in art,” Broughton says.
With a continually growing collection and an emphasis on artists of all backgrounds, the Muskegon Museum of Art’s recent expansion is only the next step in its 113th year.
“We’re excited to be such a major presence in this community as we grow and expand,” Broughton says.
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