Chazen Museum of Art to Reopen in September After Summer Closure and Collection Reinstallation

The Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wisconsin, will close for approximately two months this summer, reopening in September with a completely reimagined presentation of its collection. Director Amy Gilman and chief curator Katherine Alcauskas are leading the reinstallation, which involves reorganizing around 25,000 objects. This comprehensive overhaul was prompted by necessary renovations to the museum's 1970 Elvehjem Building, a Brutalist structure that required exterior stone replacement, skylight sealing, and floor repairs. While the older building was closed in 2023 for these infrastructure improvements, the newer 2011 Chazen building remained accessible to visitors. Museum staff are currently implementing a detailed plan for the collection's new arrangement, though they remain open to spontaneous adjustments during the process. The renovation addresses climate control and leakage issues that originally necessitated the project. This temporary closure provides an opportunity to fundamentally reconsider how artworks are displayed throughout the institution.