The Broad Announces $100M USD Expansion, More Than Doubling Museum’s Size
Adding on new galleries, courtyards and a venue for public programming.
The Broad has become a favorite among visitors in downtown Los Angeles less than a decade after opening its doors, drawing in over 5 million people annually. Next year, the space will be undergoing an ambitious renovation that will see the museum expand with more galleries and courtyards and a live venue for public programming.
As announced by founding director Joanne Heyler, the renovation will be handled by the architecture firm that helmed the initial build, Elizabeth Diller’s Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R). The firm described the expansion as an extension of its “veil and vault” concept, which encloses the storage space within a honeycomb veil structure. Construction is expected to begin in early 2025 and complete by the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
The Broad plans to add galleries to the first, second and third floors of the museum. It will also introduce a new zone that simultaneously doubles as a gallery and storage space, where visitors can walk freely among racks of paintings not currently being exhibited.
There will also be a new venue for public programming, such as concerts and installations, and two top-floor courtyards for visitors to rest in during the warmer months. In total, the expansion will tack on 55,000 square feet to The Broad, amounting to a 70% increase in space.
The museum was founded in 2015 by philanthropists Eli and Edythe Broad, who aimed to share their contemporary art collection with the public. The space boasts a collection of over 2,000 works, including pieces from the likes of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Takashi Murakami, Cindy Sherman and more.
“With Joanne Heyler’s skilled leadership, The Broad museum has exceeded the expectations I shared with my late husband Eli, and it is time to set the museum on course for the future,” Edith Broad said. “The design for our expansion by Elizabeth Diller and DS+R creates new, beautiful spaces for art while preserving what already makes a visit to The Broad so special. I can’t imagine anyone else doing as good a job or caring quite as much.”
