Dallas Museum of Art's New Director Brian Ferriso Unveils Renovation Plans and Fundraising Goals
On December 1, 2025, Brian Ferriso assumed the position of Eugene McDermott Director at the Dallas Museum of Art (DMA), following a 19-year tenure at the Portland Art Museum (PAM), where he successfully reduced debt by $7 million and raised $140 million for campus improvements. At the DMA, he will oversee a $150 million renovation and expansion designed by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, which will feature new façades and an outdoor amphitheater. Established in 1903, the DMA has encountered criticism regarding layoffs and diversity concerns. Ferriso's vision includes enhancing the museum's relevance through programs focused on community engagement. The museum's collection features a replica of Villa La Pausa, which has been closed since 2022 and is set to reopen in 2027, while the Center for Creative Connections is scheduled to reopen on September 19, 2026.
Key facts
- Brian Ferriso became the Eugene McDermott Director of the Dallas Museum of Art on December 1, 2025.
- Ferriso previously served as director of the Portland Art Museum for 19 years, eliminating $7 million in debt and growing the endowment to $40 million.
- The DMA's renovation and expansion project, designed by Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos, is estimated to cost $150 million.
- The project includes new façades, performance spaces, a rooftop extension, and an outdoor amphitheater.
- Villa La Pausa, a replica of Coco Chanel's home, has been closed since 2022 due to flood damage and is expected to reopen in 2027.
- The Center for Creative Connections will reopen on September 19, 2026.
- The DMA's 'Meet Me at the Museum' series has been popular, with a recent Late Night event selling out 2,000 tickets.
- The Hoffman, Rachofsky, and Rose families pledged to donate their art collections, originally valued at $400 million.
- The DMA was founded in 1903 and moved to its current building in 1984.
- Ferriso's office features works by Mark Rothko, Gerhard Richter, and T.J. Grant.
Entities
Artists
- Brian Ferriso
- Mark Rothko
- Gerhard Richter
- T.J. Grant
- Coco Chanel
- Wendy Reves
- Emery Reves
- Agustín Arteaga
- Jonathan Safran Foer
- Margaret Atwood
- Salman Rushdie
- Annie Leibovitz
- Madeleine Albright
- Jerry Saltz
- Zadie Smith
- Cecily Brown
- Edward Larrabee Barnes
- Ugo Rondinone
- Ellsworth Kelly
- B.B. King
- Tina Turner
- Prince
- Abraham Ángel
- Degas
- Manet
- Rodin
- Tamara Wootton Forsyth
Institutions
- Dallas Museum of Art
- Portland Art Museum
- Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos
- Dallas Arts Association
- Dallas Library
- Fair Park
- Texas Centennial Exposition
- Dallas Arts District
- Mark Rothko Pavilion
- Grand Egyptian Museum
- Louvre
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Los Angeles County Museum of Art
- TripAdvisor
- Dallas Art Fair
- Center for Creative Connections
- Dallas Symphony
- Broadway Dallas
- Klyde Warren Park
- Katy Trail
- Trinity Park
- Forest Theater
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
- Boston Museum of Fine Arts
- Crystal Bridges
- Glasstire
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Texas Instruments
Locations
- Dallas
- United States
- Portland
- Madrid
- Southern France
- Houston
- Fort Worth
- Texas
- Fair Park
- Dallas Arts District
- Klyde Warren Park
- Katy Trail
- Trinity Park
- South Dallas
- Boston
- Crystal Bridges