The Albany Museum of Art Will Officially Break Ground at its Future Home on May 18
Construction of the New Downtown Museum Is Expected to Take Up to 24 Months
After years of planning and preparation, the Albany Museum of Art will officially break ground at its new downtown location on Monday, May 18. The ceremony will take place at 10 am at 140 W. Broad Ave.
“This groundbreaking is a landmark moment not just for the Albany Museum of Art, but for the entire community we are honored to serve,” AMA Executive Director Andrew J. Wulf said. “From the outset, this project has been about more than a building. It has been about creating a welcoming destination in the heart of downtown Albany where people of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences can come together through art, learning, and shared discovery. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped bring us to this moment. This museum is being built for Albany, with Albany, and because of Albany.”
Construction work to repurpose the two-story building into a museum with an outdoor sculpture garden is expected to take up to 24 months. With 58,000 feet of usable space, it will more than double the footprint of the current museum at 311 Meadowlark Drive, which will continue to offer a full schedule of exhibitions, programs, and events during construction.
The groundbreaking comes as the Albany Museum of Art launches the public portion of its Capital Campaign for the $35 million project. Funding for the project already includes Historic Tax Credits, $4 million in SPLOST funds from the city of Albany, $3 million in SPLOST funds from Dougherty County, a $3 million donation from the Bunzl Foundation, and $1 million in private donations.
“We thank our public officials and private donors for their generous support, which shows they have faith in our project and that they have a clear vision of what downtown Albany can be with the Albany Museum of Art as one of the major anchors,” Wulf said. “Now, we are reaching out to those who have been watching as we have progressed deliberately by establishing a solid foundation.
“This museum is moving forward. It is time to move from being an interested spectator to a committed investor in the arts in our community. Now is the time to step forward and be part of Albany’s strong, vibrant future. It is a worthy legacy, one that will benefit generations to come.”
Wulf also acknowledged the members of the AMA Capital Campaign Committee—R. Ripley Bell, Jr., Mark Taylor, Marsha Taylor, Kianda Addo, Smith Wilson, Matt Reed, and Kelly Lane—for their role in advancing the campaign as it enters its public phase. “Their continued engagement will be important as we broaden support for this project in the months ahead,” he said.
The relocation of the AMA began in the summer of 2019, when the Robert N. Brooks, Sr. family generously donated the downtown building to the museum.
DLR Group, a global design firm, became a partner with the AMA shortly after that gift was made, assessing the building, creating a master plan for using the new space, ensuring that historical restoration needs were met, and reviewing the extent of grant and tax credit opportunities that could be used in the project.
Behind-the-scenes work to secure funding and support, and to design a museum that, as Wulf describes, will be “a clubhouse for all who need it,” has been ongoing ever since.
Underground hazardous waste and petroleum contaminants leaked into the soil at the site from a previous business were successfully removed in 2020 with funding from an EPA Brownfields and Land Revitalization Program Cleanup grant. A former auto supply store and later dance studio at the southwest corner of Broad Avenue and Washington Street was razed in 2021 to make way for the planned sculpture garden.
Last December, the AMA hired Aaron & Clements, of Columbus, Ga., to represent the museum in all aspects of the project delivery process. In January, the AMA named LRA Constructors, Inc., as the general contractor.
“There are moments when progress is highly visible, and there are seasons when the most important work happens quietly and carefully,” Wulf said. “These past several years have been about doing that essential work—preparing the ground, building trust, and making certain this project is ready to serve Albany well for generations to come.”
UPCOMING AMA EXHIBITIONS
- Vitus Shell: Power of Sight is May 21-Aug 29, 2026, in the Haley Gallery.
- Sense of Place: Green Book Sites in Albany, GA is May 21-Aug 29, 2026, in the East Gallery.
- Moments in The Good Life City: An Oral History of Albany, GA is May 21-Aug 29, 2026, in the Hodges Gallery.
- The Middle Way, works by Rylan Steele, is May 21-Aug 29, 2026, in the McCormack Gallery.
- The Home of Birds, works by Jessica Ambadipudi, is May 21-Aug 29, 2026, in the West Gallery.
ABOUT THE ALBANY MUSEUM OF ART
The Albany Museum of Art is located at 311 Meadowlark Drive in Albany, Ga., adjacent to Albany State University West Campus just off Gillionville Road. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The Albany Museum of Art is open to the public 10 am-5 pm Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free.
For more information about the AMA please visit our website, www.albanymuseum.com, or call 229.439.8400. Be sure to follow AlbanyMuseumOfArt on Facebook and AlbanyMuseum on Instagram.
