Kirkwood Hall Renovation

Kirkwood Hall, the ceremonial ‘heart’ of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art’s original building, showcases the museum’s 1930s Beaux-Arts style design. Today, the hall serves as a central point of connection and function. In conjunction with the Adelaide Cobb Ward Sculpture Hall and Stair Hall renovations, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art worked with BNIM to carefully renovate and restore Kirkwood Hall, the museum’s north and south entrance halls, and the entry vestibules. The original ‘switchback’ stair in Stair Hall was modified to provide a direct connection from the Bloch Addition lobby space, through the Sculpture Hall to the iconic grand central space of Kirkwood Hall.

The scope of renovations included historic paint and material restoration of original plaster coves and beams, integration of life safety systems and event lighting in reconstructed plaster beams, the restoration of historical light fixtures, and the specification of new, code compliant overheadglazing for Kirkwood Hall’s laylite ceiling and ‘saw-tooth’ skylights.