A long-standing staple of Kearney will soon be open to the public once again. The Museum of Nebraska Art, or MONA, has been undergoing a massive expansion, restoration, and renovation and aims to celebrate its grand re-opening in early 2025.
In 2015, MONA’s board of directors developed a plan to address the issue that MONA could only display about 2% of their collection. They wished to be able to display as much art as possible in order to showcase a wider variety of artwork from across the entire state. After many years of research, fundraising, and planning, the grand project was finally able to break ground in 2021.
MONA will not only house works of art, it will be a masterpiece on its own. This 23,000-square-foot expansion will utilize mass timber, a newer construction material that is more sustainable and lighter than steel while being just as strong.
In addition to the expansion, renovation is being done in the 25,000-square-foot landmarked building. Galleries are taking shape and some historic features have even been uncovered during renovation. The museum plans to feature some of these discoveries in the final design to honor the history and craftsmanship of the original structure.
MONA has served the community since 1986 but the building was actually the post office for many decades beginning in 1911. The original structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981 and in 1986, it was purchased and renovated in order to find a home for the “Nebraska Art Collection”. In 1993, MONA, with much support from the community, used a one million dollar challenge grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation to further renovate and enlarge the building that has become well known to downtown Kearney.
The expansion will feature four new galleries with 15-foot ceilings, allowing the MONA to display even more of their collection. An enlarged sculpture garden and the addition of flexible event spaces will also enhance the museum.
The expansion will house a new community studio, where visitors will have the chance to immerse themselves further into the art through hands-on activities and presentations by art professionals.
Behind the scenes, MONA will be equipped with new storage for their collection items not currently on display allowing visitors access to a glimpse of MONA the collection. The lower level of the expansion will have industry-leading art storage equipment providing security and efficiency for the stored artwork.
Even though the new storage area will be mostly hidden away, visitors can check out a new viewing area for a peek into the vault. This space will give visitors a glimpse at the entire collection of the museum and a chance to see the museum’s mission in practice – to collect, preserve, research, exhibit, and interpret the work of artists who were born, lived, trained, or worked in Nebraska or who created artworks that reflect the culture of Nebraska.
“We are incredibly excited to unveil the reimagined MONA,” Andrew Dunehoo, Executive Director of MONA told the Kearney Hub. “This expansion not only increases our capacity to host larger and more diverse exhibitions and programs, but it also strengthens our role as a cornerstone of cultural revitalization in Downtown Kearney.”
NEW & ENHANCED SPACES
MAIN LEVEL
- A welcoming new main entrance allowing greater accessibility for visitors of all ages and levels of physical ability while providing deeper engagement with the permanent collection.
- Enlarged and enhanced spaces, indoors and out, designed for museum programming, community events, and orienting tours.
- Additional spacious galleries for special exhibitions, embracing new technology and allowing more extensive display of MONA’s permanent collection.
- Accessible library space to accommodate MONA’s growing collection of books, reference materials, and ephemera.
- An open commons area to house a lounge and expanded museum shop.
UPPER LEVEL
- A new suite of galleries housing the permanent collection.
- A new feature gallery dedicated to rotating exhibitions exploring special features of MONA’s permanent collection.
- Convenient connection between administrative offices and the new expansion
LOWER LEVEL
- Greatly expanded storage facilities.
- Fully updated mechanical systems, with special attention given to collection safety.
- Dedicated space for artwork and exhibition care including art storage; matting and framing; exhibition preparation; photography and workshop area; crating and crate storage areas.