Founded in 1929 in a Victorian-era neighborhood east of downtown, the Beaux Arts building's first expansion in 1980 added a pair of matching pavilions. Today the Currier occupies two blocks bounded by Orange, Ash, Prospect, and Beech streets. The museum also owns Zimmerman House, a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home open for tours by appointment, and the Currier Art Center, a visual arts school on nearby Pearl Street.
"The primary reason for the expansion is to show more of the collections and be able to accommodate audiences," said Strickler. "We knew the quality of the collections deserved a wider audience and a wider cross-section of the state. We began to build those kind of audiences with special exhibitions, but realized we couldn't accommodate people for larger, popular shows. We often turned a gallery into a cafe. In addition, the old building had maxed out for school groups."
Four years ago, the museum hired Ann Beha Architects of Boston to create a master plan. "A two-phase expansion was considered, but we decided that would be too chaotic," said Strickler. "Doing it all at once would be more economical and less disruptive."
That also meant it would close during construction, so the museum created Currier on the Move to keep it in the public eye. Two docents in a colorful van crisscrossed the state making art presentations at schools, community centers, and libraries. They visited 245 classrooms and 4,500 students. Curators and others involved in the expansion gave 17 themed programs in four regions of the state, focusing on potential audiences and donors and reaching about 600 people. In late June 2006, crews packed and transferred more than 11,000 objects - from artwork to furniture - to a storage company in Massachusetts. The staff and administrators worked in nearby buildings, including a Victorian house after it had been moved from the museum's parking lot.
