The Muskegon Museum of Art (MMA) will unveil a $15.4 million expansion, the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion, on Feb. 6. This expansion doubles the museum’s size and redefines its role as a national arts destination.
Named in honor of local art collectors Steven Alan Bennett and Dr. Elaine Melotti Schmidt, the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion adds four galleries, including an underground print gallery, two education studios, viewable collections storage, a new gift store, and an outdoor sculpture park.
![]()
Courtesy MMAAn artist's rendering of the MMA exterior at night.
Staff support spaces, such as expanded collections storage, a workshop, and event prep spaces are also part of the expansion.
“The MMA will be a national destination while contributing significantly to the cultural and economic success of the Muskegon area,” says Frank Bednarek, MMA board chair. “It will continue to be a cultural jewel of our community.”
![]()
Courtesy MMAAn artist's rendering of the MMA lobby.
Remedying a space shortage
The Muskegon Museum of Art, established in 1912 through the bequest of Charles Hackley to collect “pictures of the best kind,” has significantly grown in its 113 years.
The permanent collection currently houses over 5,500 works of art, but due to limited gallery space, only 3% of the collection can be displayed at a time. With this expansion, the historic side of the museum will showcase more of the MMA’s permanent collection, while the new galleries will focus on rotating exhibitions.
In recent years, the museum has acquired over 600 works of art, including a donation of over 150 figurative realist paintings by women artists from The Bennett Collection. This includes works by Artemisia Gentileschi, Mary Cassatt, Andrea Kowch, and Zoey Frank, among others. Selections from The Bennett Collection will premiere with the opening of the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion.
Other notable works debuting in the new space include a commissioned glass sculpture by Beth Lipman, a life-size figurative glass piece by Karen LaMonte, and works by Kehinde Wiley, Edgar Degas, Shirley Woodson, and Jonathan Thunder.
Two new education studios will allow the MMA to host classes, workshops, events, and an open art studio, available to visitors during normal museum hours. The largest exhibition gallery, spanning 5,000 square feet, will host large-scale rotating exhibitions such as the upcoming “Julia Child: A Recipe for Life” exhibition this summer.
![]()
Courtesy MMAAn artist's rendering of the MMA studio space.
The Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion was Designed by Annum Architects of Boston in collaboration with Mathison | Mathison Architects of Grand Rapids. It was constructed by Erhardt Construction with the support of Construction Simplified.
The public is invited to the opening reception on Feb. 6 from 5-7 p.m. and the Family Day Celebration on Feb. 8 from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. featuring kid-friendly activities.
The Lakeshore connected with MMA Executive Director Kirk Hallman for a Q&A about the museum’s expansion and what it will mean for Muskegon.
The Lakeshore: What inspired the vision for the Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion, and how do you see it redefining the Muskegon Museum of Art’s role as a national arts destination?
Kirk Hallman: We have been out of space for many years and lacked the capacity for growth with all we do. There was a need for more galleries, storage, classrooms, and open spaces. We already have a national footprint, and this expansion will ensure we can keep doing national shows such as John Steuart Curry, Edward Curtis, The Bennett Prize, and others we have presented.
TL: The new pavilion doubles the size of the museum and includes exciting additions like the underground print gallery and sculpture park. How were these elements chosen, and what unique experiences do they offer visitors?
Kirk Hallman: Everything was need-based and based on the visitor experience. The print galley was an extra that we realized we could add during concept development. The sculpture park aligned with the city of Muskegon's master plan for green space as well as our own lack of capacity for future outdoor sculpture.
![]()
Courtesy MMAAn artist's rendering of the MMA gallery space.
TL: The expansion highlights works from The Bennett Collection and features renowned artists like Artemisia Gentileschi and Kehinde Wiley. How do these acquisitions enhance the museum’s mission and its appeal to art enthusiasts?
KH: We share the same enthusiasm for The Bennett Prize project, which has grown in stature tremendously since its inception. They are both filling an important collection gap (of which we intended to pick away at slowly with limited resources), but also the amount and quality of art have taken the collection in a new direction. But it's really not only about the art. Steven and Elaine are visionaries as well as philanthropists, and we feel a kinship with their vision. There is a responsibility to use these gifts to further women artists' profiles through exhibitions and programming in the new museum.
TL: With the addition of two education studios, how does the museum plan to expand its programming to engage the local community and attract visitors from beyond the Muskegon area?
KH: We were always limited by our bare-bones educational space. We already have plans to expand this programming, plus we are currently surveying the community to determine what our patrons would like to see.
TL: The Bennett-Schmidt Pavilion was designed by Annum Architects in collaboration with Mathison | Mathison Architects. Can you speak about how the architecture complements the museum’s mission and enhances the visitor experience?
KH: It's a long process. We wanted the program elements we needed to increase capacity, plus they had to be simple, intuitive, and visitor-centered. With the footprint our property was on, it was a long, complicated task but we are thrilled with the result.