Krannert Art Museum

Krannert Art Museum, located at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, is a dynamic center for artistic engagement, dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between people, history, and the visual arts. Serving both the campus and the broader community, the museum offers a space where diverse perspectives meet, encouraging dialogue and a deeper understanding of the role art plays in shaping our shared experiences.

The museum’s architectural design is as notable as its collection. Designed by architect Ambrose Richardson, the original building reflects a style influenced by the late work of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. One of its most distinctive features is the brise soleil, a decorative screen that graces the front façade and has become a defining visual element. In its early vision, the museum also included a reflecting pool, as depicted in the architectural rendering featured on the cover of the 1961 dedication program. The original building was a collaboration between Richardson, Severns, Scheeler, and Associates, with architect-engineers Mittelbusher and Tourtelot, under the guidance of university architect Ernest L. Stouffer.

In 1988, the Krannert Art Museum expanded with the addition of the Kinkead Pavilion, designed by Larry Booth and Associates. This addition embraced postmodernist architecture infused with neo-Egyptian decorative motifs, offering a striking contrast to the original structure. The expansion nearly doubled the museum’s size to 63,000 square feet, earning it the distinction of being the second largest general fine art museum in Illinois.

Today, Krannert Art Museum continues to present a diverse array of exhibitions and programs, from historical collections to contemporary works. Its spaces are designed not only for display but also for interaction, making it a place where art is experienced as a living dialogue between past and present, tradition and innovation.