National Music Museum plans on renovation, expansion

The National Music Museum (NMM) has gotten the green-light for their planned expansion following the passage of House Bill 1065.

NMM plans to move forward to add 16,000 square feet to the already in place Carnegie Building. This space will be used to add two floors plus an underground level.

The proposal for expansion was originally proposed by the Museum’s Board of Trustees and was approved by the South Dakota Legislature.

House Bill 1065, which was signed by Gov. Daugaard on Feb. 22, will appropriate $7.76 million in privately raised donations and $1.5 million from the university to fund the estimated cost of $9.2 million for updates to the NMM.

Scott Lawrence, NMM Board chairman, said he’s grateful to have a Board of Trustees that is “supportive.”

“The National Music Museum addition and overall renovation will dramatically improve the visitor experience while addressing pressing operational needs — from storage to staff use and enhanced collections management,” Lawrence said. “We are so fortunate and grateful to have a Board of Trustees who are so supportive in spirit and financial generosity.”

The NMM will also provide 4,600 square feet of new exhibit space, gallery for temporary exhibits, a performance hall, a classroom, conservation lab, photography lab and administrative offices.

According to a press release from the NMM, the construction presents the opportunity for reconfiguring existing museum space, as well as re-conceptualizing exhibits.

NMM created several designs for expansion over the last 10 years to “balance between ideal concept and pragmatic budgeting.”

Koch Hazard Architects from Sioux Falls, SD and Schwartz/Silver Architects of Boston, MA prepared the updated plans and consulted with the university, the NMM board, and the museum staff.

Jeff Hazard, architect of Koch Hazard Architects, said the original spirit of the building will be in place.

“The addition is simple and monumental in form but delicate in its details, both responding and deferring to the architectural spirit of the original building,” he said.

The new design will also feature an ADA accessible entrance to the Museum, while leaving the “historic, classical entrance” intact, according to the release.

In a press release, university president James Abbott said the renovation is to “provide the facilities capacity for the museum to showcase more of their collection and provide greatly improved educational space for museum programming.”

“The National Music Museum is a treasure to the nation,” Abbott said. “The University of South Dakota is fortunate to have this international museum on our campus as a partner who brings forward cultural and educational awareness via musical instruments.”

NMM plans to announce details about a groundbreaking date soon.