Music to the ears! NMM gets green light on building expansion

After several years of planning and evolving architectural concepts, the National Music Museum (NMM), at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, has received the go-ahead to add approximately 16,000 square feet (two floors plus an underground level) to their existing Carnegie building. [Rendering here of the proposed building design provided by Schwartz/Silver Architects]

The proposal, put forward by the Museum’s Board of Trustees, was recently approved by the South Dakota legislature. Funding for the estimated $9.5 million building project has already been raised privately by the Museum’s Board, with up to $1.5 million of that amount — representing upgrades to HVAC and facilities infrastructure — to be covered by the University of South Dakota.

The NMM addition will provide much needed room, including approximately 4,600 square feet of new exhibit space, a gallery dedicated to temporary exhibits, a new performance hall, a dedicated classroom, a new conservation lab, a new photography lab, and new above-ground staff and administration offices. This construction also presents the opportunity for reconfiguring existing museum space, as well as re-conceptualizing exhibits.

The addition and overall renovation will also dramatically improve the visitor experience.

The NMM plans to announce a tentative groundbreaking date soon. In the meantime and throughout the building project, the NMM will continue to raise funds for underwriting further gallery and exhibit design, new interactive museum technologies, aesthetic enhancements, and more.

Please help us grow by becoming an NMM Member or donating here http://nmmusd.org/Support-Us .