The Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha has selected the architecture firm Snøhetta for its recently announced expansion. The ambitious plans will add a new building to join the original Art Deco museum, built in 1931, as well as a later 1994 addition designed by Norman Foster.  

Snøhetta's extension will add new galleries to the site, allowing Joslyn to better display and further expand its 12,000 piece permanent collection. In particular, the Museum plans on growing its collection of contemporary art, having been generously gifted over 50 high-profile works by the Schrager family last year. The new addition will further help propel the museum to a new position on the international stage.

"The Museum is one of Nebraska’s greatest assets," remarked Joslyn's CEO Jack Becker. On the selection of Snøhetta, he added that the firm behind the SFMOMA Expansion and the Sept. 11 Memorial Museum Pavilion is "a perfect fit for this project, not only for their visionary design, but also for their commitment to honoring the legacy of the Museum and celebrating what Joslyn means to us, to our city, and to Nebraska.”

The decision to go with Snøhetta was a unanimous one, the committee impressed by their resume of completed work and their dedication to sustainability. Plans are in its earliest stages, with a price tag, design renderings, and timeline still to be decided on. 

Craig Dykers, founding partner, noted, “Omaha’s place in the great landscape of the American West is a wonderful inspiration to us. Together with Joslyn’s rich collections of art spanning the globe and its dynamic relationship with the communities that sustain it create a powerful platform to begin designing the next phase of its life, for future generations."