The Longmont Museum is set to temporarily close its galleries on May 26 after the conclusion of its latest exhibit, “A Graphic Journey: Prints by Pablo Picasso,” so that the galleries can be expanded and renovated. The closure and renovations of the galleries will take until fall 2026 to complete.
The renovations and expansion will create a larger feature gallery that will be home to the travelling exhibitions hosted by the museum, and a brand-new children’s gallery, according to Erik Mason, director of the Longmont Museum. The children’s exhibit area will be a hands-on space that is designed to engage children's imaginations: it will consist of different areas and thematic zones geared towards different age groups, Mason said, with more calming areas for toddlers and areas for “imagined play” for older children.
“What we have found over the years is that we have several audiences that visit [the museum] regularly and they are looking for different types of exhibitions,” Mason said. “We have an audience that is really engaged with art and history, our adult audience, and we are delighted to serve that audience. Then we have another audience — the children, family, and caregivers, who come in for things like our previous Lego exhibit and are involved in our programs. Because we have only had one gallery that changes in the past, we have not had a full gallery space that serves both audiences at the same time. We are really excited to be able to serve a broader audience all year round.”
Despite the galleries/exhibitions being closed until 2026, the museum will still host its regular programs and concerts.
The gallery expansion is the last phase of a multi-phase revamp of the museum’s amenities, which previously included projects like the conversion of a storage space and the opening of the Stewart Family Courtyard, which will host the museum’s free Summer Concert Series this year. The concerts will take place every Thursday evening beginning on June 19 until July 31. The museum was built in 2002 and the Stewart Auditorium was built in 2015. The museum has not had any other significant renovations since it was first built.
Essenza Architecture, a company based in Louisville, was hired to complete the project. The company has spent the last three years conducting extensive planning with the Longmont Museum to design the expansion.
The renovations and galleries expansion has been in the museum’s strategic plan for the past five years, Mason said, and became a reality because of the “generosity from the Stewart Family Foundation,” which has contributed about $6.7 million dollars to help fund the expansion. The museum also received donations from other local organizations, the city, and nearly 400 individuals to make the expansion happen. “We are delighted by the community response to the campaign,” Mason said.
