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| General
Information
Figge Art Museum Building Project Current & Upcoming ExhibitionsPermanent Collection Highlights Museum
Tours &
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It was by a unique intersection of civic pride and philanthropy that the Davenport Municipal Art Gallery opened in 1925, creating the first municipal art gallery in the State of Iowa. Today, the collections of the Davenport Museum of Art have grown over ten-fold and include more than 3,500 works of art from many cultures and periods in history. The Museum is now poised for its next phase of growth: relocation to the heart of downtown Davenport in a new, 70,000 square foot facility designed by London architect David Chipperfield. This move and expansion will enable the Museum to continue its mission of collecting and exhibiting art, and promoting appreciation and creation of art through education. Leading the way for this project is a $12 million gift from the V.O. and Elizabeth Kahl Figge Foundation. In recognition of this generous contribution, the new arts facility will be named the Figge Art Museum. Stay tuned to this page to learn more about this project, and how you can help turn this vision into an exciting reality.
Why is the DMA moving from Museum Hill? Several years ago, it became apparent to the Museum Boards (two groups comprised of more than 40 volunteers, all residents of the Quad Cities) that the DMA desperately needed to expand. Only 1% of the permanent collection currently can be on permanent display. Initially, the boards considered an expansion at the current location. The boards decided, through extensive meetings, including several public gatherings, that a new site in downtown Davenport would be a better location for the Figge Art Museum. Why? The existing main museum building is owned by the Putnam Museum, not the City of Davenport or the Davenport Museum of Art.The Museum’s new downtown location will be accessible to every Quad City citizen - a landmark building where people of all ages will gather to create, view and experience art. Much like the Mark has stimulated development in Moline, the Figge Art Museum will stimulate new development in downtown Davenport - starting from within - with a large gift shop and full service restaurant, a 180 seat auditorium for meetings and performances and a media center. More than 7,000 people work in downtown Davenport. Cultural and civic activities are important in order to keep these employees and employers interested in our downtown. What about flooding? The Figge Art Museum will be built above a 77-car parking structure that will protect the block it sits on from floodwaters. The walls of the parking area will be engineered as a floodwall. The first floor of the Figge will be 12 feet above River Drive and approximately 3 feet higher than 2nd Street. The Ground Transportation Center, Firstar Bank, the Radisson Hotel and Community Health Center are examples of facilities on the same elevation that remained open during the flood of 2001. The Figge will be no different. Why was an architect from London selected to design the new facility? The search for an architect to design the new Figge Art Museum began with requests for qualifications sent to over 100 architectural firms throughout the world, including local firms. David Chipperfield & Associates, London, was chosen for the firm’s sensitivity to our urban design program and the challenges our site presents. David Chipperfield is internationally known and is currently working a variety of projects from the redevelopment and renovation of Berlin’s Museum Island to the new Des Moines Public Library. Herbert Lewis Kruse Blunck Architects are the local architects of record. Why are art and The Figge Art Museum important to the Quad Cities? According to the May 2001 issue of Newsweek Magazine, over 1 billion people visited museums last year - more than double the attendance at all sporting events combined. The Figge Art Museum has the potential to be a vital social, education and tourism center. The Figge Art Museum will offer exciting programs that help us appreciate and learn about art. Blockbuster exhibitions will provide a chance to learn about history, other cultures, new technology and more. People of all ages and ability levels will be able to take studio art classes. Area teachers will incorporate Figge art exhibitions and collections into school curriculum. Businesses will be able to conduct videoconferences in the state of the art auditorium. People all over the world will be able to take a video tour of the galleries via the Internet. How much will the Figge Art Museum cost? The Figge Art Museum will cost $48.6 million. The breakdown for funding is as follows:
How will the Figge Art Museum relate to other Quad Cities cultural organizations? The Museum Boards and staff are already working with these organizations to develop programs and services that strengthen our mission to serve the Quad Cities. It is our goal not to duplicate services, but rather to work together to expand upon the great things these groups are already doing.
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