Princeton University Art Museum

Princeton University Art Museum is one of the richest cultural resources in the state of New Jersey. The Museum aims to serve University and community visitors, as well as distinguished scholars interested in its outstanding collections and exhibitions.

In 2002 Lord Cultural Resources was chosen to undertake a Feasibility Study that assessed the present facility and its opportunities for expansion. Lord Cultural Resources assessed the building, analyzed the collection, and reviewed the public programming and staffing of the Museum in order to complete a phased Master Plan. Upon further review of the Lord Cultural Resources study and the growing demands on the museum, University officials decided that the area surrounding McCormick Hall was not sufficient for expansion due to site constraints and size. Instead they chose to embark on a multi-site model to meet the needs of the museum.

In 2006, Princeton University once again engaged Lord Cultural Resources for three planning projects. The first involved advancing the Facilities Strategy for the Satellite Contemporary Art Museum that was recommended in the 2002–03 study. The second involved facilities planning for an off-site storage facility. The third explored a range of options for the reconfiguration of the existing building after the collection storage has been located off-site, as well as to accommodate the operating impact of transitioning to a three site model. This facilities work was coupled with an Operating Strategy that worked to prepare museum staff for the transition to a new operating model.

“It is clear that Lord Cultural Resources has extensive experience in working with museums of all sorts, enabling you to quickly focus on our particular circumstances and balance this with an overall knowledge of the museum field.”

Rebecca E. Sender, Associate Director, Princeton University Art Museum