Governor Hochul Announces New Era of Arts for Buffalo With Re-Opening of World-Famous Buffalo AKG Art Museum Following Transformational Expansion and Redevelopment
June 12, 2023
One of the Foremost Modern and Contemporary Art Museums in the World Has Completed the Most Substantial Expansion and Development Project in Its 160-Year History
Buffalo AKG Art Museum Includes More Than 50,000 Square Feet of Exhibit Space, Five Classrooms, New Restaurant and Public Green Space, and Community Gathering Space
Museum is Projected to Have an Economic Impact of $34 Million Annually for Western New York and Employ 134 Full-Time Employees
View Photographs of the Expansion Project Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the substantial completion of the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, one of the foremost modern and contemporary art museums in the world. The $195 million expansion, restoration, and renovation project includes the dramatic new three-story Jeffrey E. Gunlach building and the restoration of two other historic buildings on the campus formerly known as Albright-Knox Art Gallery. AKG is projected to increase visitation by more than 30 percent and attract at least 160,000 visitors per year. It is estimated that the region could experience a sustained economic benefit of an additional $34 million per year as a result of the increased tourism.
“The breathtaking Buffalo AKG Art Museum is one of the world's finest institutions for modern and contemporary art — showcasing the economic and cultural renaissance Western New York has experienced in recent years,” Governor Hochul said. “Buffalo is very fortunate to have a world-renowned art museum with a reputation that has grown to even greater prominence as it expands its campus and collection of works. The new building and campus are a dramatic work of art that will attract visitors and support the regional tourism economy for decades to come.”