Memphis Art Museum Opens Dec 6 in Herzog & de Meuron Building with Free Admission for Locals

On December 6, 2025, the Memphis Art Museum, previously known as the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, will unveil its new building designed by Herzog & de Meuron along the Mississippi riverfront. The opening event will feature a significant exhibition titled "Making Beauty: Hooks Brothers Studio, 1907-1984," showcasing over 150 photographs from the renowned Black-owned studio, in collaboration with the National Civil Rights Museum. Admission will be free for all residents of Shelby County indefinitely. The new structure, measuring 123,500 square feet, will increase gallery space by 50%, include a 10,000-square-foot community courtyard, and a 50,000-square-foot rooftop art garden. The overall cost of the project is $222 million, and 30,000 square feet will be dedicated to nineteen capsule presentations from the permanent collection, exploring themes such as geometric abstraction and the impact of jazz on Black abstraction. The museum will continue operations at its Overton Park site until autumn before moving downtown, close to Tom Lee Park.