A long-awaited major art museum in Las Vegas is closer to becoming a reality after Las Vegas City Council members approved the $1 sale of 1.5 acres in Symphony Park for the construction of the Las Vegas Museum of Art.
The city is working with the new museum, which has partnered with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to stand up the $150 million venue. In a teary-eyed presentation to council members, benefactor and LACMA co-chair Elaine Wynn said the museum will provide a space for the community to gather and enjoy.
“During this time in post-COVID history where there are increased feelings of isolation and loneliness, we desperately need this. It’s this concept, creating more community, that’s inspired me to marshal one last effort of leadership to show my gratitude to the city I love, that has given me so much,” Wynn told council members.
According to city staff, the 90,000-square-foot building at South City Parkway and Symphony Park Avenue will have three exhibition spaces, a gift shop, cafe, outdoor public space, small theater and lobby.
Wynn also announced the building’s architect, Francis Kéré, a native of Burkina Faso who won the Pritzker Prize in 2022. Museum director Heather Harmon detailed the building’s planned features.
“Embedded in the DNA of the building are thoughtful references to Las Vegas. The light permeating through the exterior triangles is a nod to Paul Williams’ Guardian Angel Cathedral; the stone, inspired by a visit to a local quarry, and a reference to Red Rock and our natural surroundings,” she said.
Councilman Cedric Crear, whose ward includes the land for the museum, said he expected it to be a “world-class facility.”
“This is something that is long overdue. We, in the past, have always been considered a city of bright lights and entertainment and gambling, and not much of culture. And we’ve completely shifted that paradigm. And this is just one step toward that,” he said.
Harmon said the museum is looking at breaking ground in 2026, with hopes of opening in 2028.
Click HERE to subscribe for free to the Weekly Fix, the digital edition of Las Vegas Weekly! Stay up to date with the latest on Las Vegas concerts, shows, restaurants, bars and more, sent directly to your inbox!
