Art Museum Announces Gluckman Maynar as Architects to Renovate Perelman Building

January 30, 2002, Wednesday

The Philadelphia Museum of Art Announces Architect to Renovate Perelman Building for Galleries, Study Centers, and Library

Raymond G. Perelman Praises Gluckman Mayner Architects As Superbly Suited for This Historic Undertaking

The Philadelphia Museum of Art announced today that Gluckman Mayner Architects will design the renovation of the Ruth and Raymond G. Perelman Building, which the Museum acquired in 1999 to provide space for its expansion in the new century. The landmark Art Deco building will house the Museum's large and fine collections of Costume and Textiles, Prints, Drawings and Photographs, and 20th Century Design, as well as the Library and Archives and several administrative functions. It contains 100,000 square feet of space and occupies a block at Pennsylvania Avenue, across the Benjamin Franklin Parkway from the Museum's main building. The project, a major priority for the Museum's current capital campaign, the 2001 Fund, is expected to take several years.
    Raymond G. Perelman, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Trustees, said: "Gluckman Mayner Architects are superbly suited for this historic project. The Museum has worked with this design group many times in the past. We are excited by their architecture and by their deep understanding and appreciation of the Museum's mission and the beauty of its new building. Ruth and I are thrilled and look forward to the day when the Museum officially opens the building to the public, richly installed with works of art."
    Anne d'Harnoncourt, Director and CEO of the Museum, said: "With its long, light filled spaces, this remarkable building presents an extraordinary opportunity to welcome visitors with galleries and study centers receptive to works of art and work spaces responsive to the requirements of staff. Collaborating with the Museum on a variety of projects over many years, Richard Gluckman has repeatedly demonstrated his expertise in developing architecture that makes sensitive use of light and provides elegant solutions to complex problems."
    Gail Harrity, Chief Operating Officer of the Museum and an active member of the Parkway Council that represents the numerous cultural destinations along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, added: "The Perelman Building will add galleries and increase the public's access to the Museum's impressive collections, as well as add vibrancy to the Parkway, which, within the stretch of a single mile, from the Free Library to the Waterworks, embraces many of Philadelphia's greatest treasures."
    Gluckman Mayner Architects, based in New York City, is the successor firm to Richard Gluckman Architects, established in 1977. The firm has earned a distinctive reputation for its approach to the design and construction of museums, which is informed by over 20 years of experience working with artists, curators and directors.
    Notable projects include the Dia Center for the Arts in New York City (1987); The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (1994); renovations and an expansion for the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (1998); The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, New Mexico (2000).
    Current projects include an 80,000 square-foot renovation and addition for The Picasso Museum in Malaga, Spain (scheduled for completion in 2003); a 145,000 square-foot museum for The Austin Museum of Art in Texas (scheduled for completion in 2004) and a 100,000 square-foot museum for the Mori Art Center in Tokyo, Japan (scheduled for completion in 2003).
    The firm has worked with the Philadelphia Museum of Art on previous projects, including the design and installation of the Brancusi exhibition (1995) and the Cezanne exhibition (1996), as well as the design and renovation of the Modern and Contemporary Galleries (2000).
    Richard Gluckman, partner in the firm, commented: "We're extremely pleased to be working on the transformation of the Perelman Building into a compatible and dynamic extension of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. We hope to accomplish this by highlighting the strengths of the Perelman Building while at the same time creating a strong architectural identity with the additional space."
    The Philadelphia Museum of Art celebrated its 125th anniversary in the year 2001. It is among the largest art museums in the United States, showcasing more than 2,000 years of exceptional human creativity in over 200 galleries installed with masterpieces of painting, sculpture, works on paper, decorative arts and architectural settings from Europe, Asia and the Americas. The striking neoclassical building stands on a nine-acre site above the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and offers many enriching activities -- including programs for children and families, lectures, concerts and films.
    For additional information, contact the Marketing and Public Relations Department of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at (215) 684-7860. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is located on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway at 26th Street. For general information, call (215) 763-8100, or visit the Museum's website at www.philamuseum.org.

SOURCE The Philadelphia Museum of Art

CONTACT: Norman Keyes, Jr., Director of Media Relations of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, +1-215-684-7862