The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College has a major expansion and renovation in the works, helmed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, the same husband-and-wife operation behind the former American Folk Art Museum building and the forthcoming Asia Society Hong Kong. While details of the designs have yet to be released, the current plans will dramatically increase the square footage of the institution and update the technology in its classrooms.
The aim of the renovation of the adjacent Wilson Hall and addition to the existing 27-year-old museum is to better house Dartmouth’s 70,000-piece collection. Dating back to 1772, the Hood's holdings include African, Aboriginal, Native American, and contemporary art, most of which is currently hidden away due to a shortage of exhibition space. The renovated and expanded building will also better facilitate the museum's public and private programming.
The expansion project is part of a broader mission to develop Dartmouth’s new Arts District, which includes the neighboring Hopkins Center for the Arts and the forthcoming Black Family Visual Arts Center — designed by architects Machado and Silvetti Associates and scheduled to open in September. The Hopkins Center is slated for a renovation and expansion of its own, although the architects for that project have yet to be selected.