A major milestone in Wisconsin art will be marked Saturday with the opening of the Museum of Wisconsin Art (MOWA) in its new facility in West Bend.
The 31,000-square-foot building houses the museum and its collection, serves as a living showcase for Wisconsin art, and plays a significant role in the revitalization of West Bend’s downtown and riverfront area. MOWA admission will be free and open to the public on Saturday.
“We are the custodians of Wisconsin art – telling the story of our state by connecting creative arts with our cultural heritage – and we now have a facility that does justice to the contemporary arts scene in Wisconsin,” says Laurie Winters, executive director and chief executive officer of MOWA. “While we showcase some of the biggest names in Wisconsin art, we see as equally important our role in cultivating our region’s artistic future and next generation of artists.”
The new building takes on the triangular shape of its site and includes nearly 12,000 square feet of gallery space, 7,000 square feet of facility rental space, a gift shop, education studios, and an outdoor sculpture garden. It was designed by HGA (Hammel Green & Abrahamson Inc.) and built by Mortenson Construction.
The museum is located at 205 Veterans Ave.