MEMPHIS, TENN.- Memphis Art Museum today announced that its new cultural campus in the heart of Downtown Memphis, along the Mississippi River bluff, will open to the public in December 2026. Currently known as the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, it is both the oldest and largest art museum in Tennessee, with a collection of more than 10,000 works spanning from ancient to contemporary art.
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron and architect of record archimania, with landscape design by OLIN, the new 122,000-square-foot museum will expand the institution’s existing gallery space by 50 percent and provide 600 percent more art-filled free public space, including a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard at street level and a 50,000-square-foot rooftop sculpture garden.
The building’s design will capture the warmth and texture of the region, with natural tones inspired by the clay banks of the river. Designed as an open invitation to the city, its transparent glass façade will let passersby see the art inside, while street-level galleries will let that creativity spill out onto the sidewalks, blurring the line between the museum and Memphis itself.
New, wider sidewalks will connect downtown to the riverfront, bringing people directly to the museum as a new hub of civic life. A public plaza shared with the historic Cossitt Library will create a lively cultural commons along the bluff. At its center, a broad, shaded courtyard will serve as a gathering space open to everyone.
Encircling the courtyard in a continuous, single-story loop, the galleries provide generous, flexible spaces for displaying Memphis' diverse art collection. Five galleries will include large windows overlooking either the Mississippi River or the community courtyard, keeping visitors connected to the landscape and the life of the city. Nearby, light-filled classrooms with ideal northern exposure will offer inspiring spaces for making and learning art at every level—from school groups to adult artists—further connecting the act of seeing art with creating it.
Atop the building is a full-roof garden—an “art park in the sky”—featuring several sculptures, native plants, an event pavilion, and sweeping views of Downtown Memphis and the Mississippi River. The building’s River Window offers a framed view of the historic waterway, while the Riverview Terrace provides an elevated overlook of the horizon. Occupying an entire city block, the new museum redefines Downtown Memphis.
The building is among the first major U.S. museums constructed using laminated timber. Wood elements incorporated throughout the campus honor Memphis’ legacy as the Hardwood Capital of the World and serve as a defining architectural element, from the entry porch and lobby to galleries, the café, education areas, classrooms, and event areas.
Joining the Memphis Art Museum in a year of landmark cultural milestones across Memphis are the National Civil Rights Museum, which will open its expanded Legacy Building in spring 2026, the National Ornamental Metal Museum which will also unveil a new, centrally located facility offering expanded space for exhibitions, permanent collections, and educational programming. In addition, 2026 marks historic anniversaries for many of Memphis’s beloved cultural institutions, including 90 years of live music at Overton Park Shell, 70 years of Opera Memphis, 50 years of Dixon Gallery & Gardens, 40 years of Ballet Memphis, 20 years of the Hattiloo Theatre, and 20 years of Collage Dance Center. Together, these milestones reflect a powerful moment of cultural investment and celebration in the city where blues, soul, and rock ‘n’ roll were born.
“Memphis has a long history as a vibrant hub for art and culture. This expansive and innovative new campus will further reinforce the city’s status as a global cultural destination,” said Dr. Zoe Kahr, Executive Director of the Memphis Art Museum. “We look forward to welcoming visitors to experience the very best of what Memphis has to offer, in 2026, and for years to come.”
With community at the heart of its mission, the new museum prioritizes accessibility through a design that features abundant free and publicly accessible spaces. Once inside the museum, visitors will have access to the mezzanine-level theater as well as galleries, educational areas, the café, and store all on the street level, with a direct connection to the Mississippi River waterfront. The museum will be able to accommodate more than 400 cultural, creative, and community-based initiatives and also will be available for rentals.
