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Photo
by John Nation |
The Speed
Art Museum’s original 1927 limestone building was designed
by Louisville architect Arthur Loomis. Loomis chose the Greek
Revival style for the exterior and employed large skylights in
the roof to bathe the galleries in natural light. There have been
three major additions and one extensive renovation to the original
1927 building.
The Preston
Pope Satterwhite Wing was added in 1954 to honor Dr. Satterwhite,
a prominent benefactor of the museum. The Satterwhite Wing contains
much of his own collection of medieval and renaissance works including
tapestries and other decorative arts. A focal point in the wing
is a 17th century carved period room from England.
The North
addition, designed by Brenner, Danforth, and Rockwell of Chicago,
opened in 1973. This addition showcases the museum’s 20th
century art and features an auditorium and café.
Photo
by Kenneth Hayden |
The South
addition, the museum’s most recent wing, designed by Robert
Geddes of Princeton, New Jersey, opened in 1983. On its upper
level, small cabinet galleries provide an intimate atmosphere
for the museum’s collection of European paintings and sculpture.
Also included in the addition are special galleries for temporary
exhibitions.
In 1995,
architect Peter Rose unveiled a master plan for the renovation
of the museum. Construction began on the first phase of the project
in 1996, including a 2,800 square foot interactive art learning
center with accompanying workshops and preschool learning facilities,
a collections storage facility, and a complete renovation of the
Satterwhite gallery to display the museum’s collection of
renaissance and baroque decorative arts and tapestries. The museum
closed for the one-year renovation and reopened in November of
1997. A parking garage was built behind the building in 1998.
Today, the
Speed Art Museum has over 150,000 square feet of gallery, exhibition,
and administrative space, making it the largest art museum in
the state of Kentucky.
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