Penn State moves forward with new $85M art museum, despite opposition from alumni-elected trustees
Penn State will move forward with the $85 million construction of the new Palmer Museum of Art near the Arboretum — but Friday’s decision wasn’t without controversy.
The university’s board of trustees voted 26-7 to approve the construction, with some trustees expressing concern about Penn State’s need to borrow up to $62 million to pay for it. Six of the university’s nine alumni-elected trustees opposed the measure but, with low interest rates and the museum’s projected positive impact, the majority still pushed it forward and expect it to open by fall 2023.
“The museum as part of a cultural district at the University Park campus is a long-term vision for the university,” board chairman Matt Schuyler said Thursday during a committee meeting. “It’s an investment in the next 100 years of Penn State, not the next few years of economics.”
Penn State planned to cover the debt, which would be paid over 30 years, with $4 million annually from what it receives in Big Ten media rights. That $4 million currently accounts for less than 10% of what the university gets each year from the conference.
Trustee Edward “Ted” Brown, who sported a Norman Rockwell tie Friday, echoed the concerns of others when he wondered aloud why Penn State would spend money on a museum when it’s facing bigger issues, such as food insecurity among students.
“I’m in favor of art museums. I love art museums. I buy ties at art museums,” he said. “I don’t think right now is the right time to approve an $85 million project when we have students surveyed saying they have fear of insecurity of food.”
Brown voted against the museum. Joining him were Valerie Detwiler, Anthony Lubrano, Bill Oldsey, Jay Paterno, Alice Pope and Brandon Short. (Detwiler was the only non-alumni-elected trustee to oppose it.)
The new Palmer Museum of Art, which is set to replace Curtin Road’s 49-year-old museum with the same name, was first announced in 2019. Once completed, Penn State has said it will be the largest art museum between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
The new 71,000-square-foot facility will house between 7% and 8% of the university’s 10,260-piece art collection, doubling the current facility’s 3-4%. According to officials, who cited surveys and studies, the new museum is expected to nearly triple annual attendance from 35,000 to 95,000 while creating more job opportunities and more visiting opportunities for K-12 students.
“I think the concept is a great concept,” Lubrano acknowledged. “However, I have some real concerns overall about the timing of this project.”
Added Detwiler: “I’d like to start by saying I think this is a lovely project. And I think it will provide benefits to the campus, and I think it is something to pursue. I have concerns about how we fund the project.”
Although about $20 million has so far been raised, making the art museum the fifth-most funded project in Penn State history (one spot ahead of the Bryce Jordan Center), Detwiler said she was under the impression the university intended to fundraise more to off-set the debt.
University President Eric Barron and several other trustees countered by saying more fundraising could still be done. But, due to the rising costs of raw materials, among other issues, waiting on the project could mean a $10 million increase in the art museum’s cost.
“It’s absolutely incredible that we are positioned to proceed in these times with hard bids in hand that meet the budget,” said trustee Robert Fenza, retired Chief Operating Officer of Liberty Property Trust. “We really can’t delay. Please. Let’s get this done.”
The new museum, located between the Arboretum and the Lewis Katz Building, will be clad in regional sandstone and will feature two distinct wings connected by an overhead walkway. The smaller east wing will house administrative offices and at least two classrooms, while the larger west wing will include exhibit and workshop spaces. Both wings have room for expansion.
Penn State has previously said it views the new museum as part of a “cultural gateway,” a first step in creating a hub that could one day include a planetarium, conservatory and performance space. Officials told the State College borough planning commission in March that a space was already reserved south of the new museum’s location, where an interdisciplinary STEM museum could also be constructed.
Construction of the new Palmer Museum of Art is expected to start this summer.
This story was originally published May 7, 2021 at 5:39 PM.
