Norton Closing for Several Months to Finish Interior Construction and Reinstall Art
Museum is partnering with Grandview Public Market to present programs while closed July 16, 2018 through Feb. 8, 2019 to finish expansion project
WEST PALM BEACH, FL (June 4, 2018) – With structural and exterior construction of The New Norton transformation project complete, the Norton Museum of Art announces an extended closing during the second half of 2018 to put the finishing touches on the interior of the building and reinstall art that has been in storage for more than two years. The extended closing will begin on July 16, 2018. The Museum will re-open to the public on Feb. 9, 2019 with a free day of activities and exhibitions.
Though the building will be closed for several months, the Norton will not be absent from the community. The following programs will continue at Grandview Public Market located at 1401 Clare Ave., West Palm Beach:
- Family Art Pop-Up, a new Museum program where children ages 5-12, and accompanying grown-ups, have lively discussions about art in the Norton collection followed by an art-making workshop.
- Curators’ Conversations feature Museum curators previewing exhibitions that open in 2019.
- Member Insights programs (for Museum Members only), led by Norton education and curatorial staff, offer opportunities to look closely, discuss, and learn more about masterpieces in the Norton Collection.
All programs are free, but advance registration is required. To register, or for more details, visit www.norton.org/grandview.
Grandview Public Market (GPM) is a food and market hall located in the city’s emerging warehouse district, and is housed in a mid-century building originally constructed as a frozen food facility for Tropical Shipping Lines. With a goal of creating a space where everyone can feel comfortable, fed, and entertained, the repurposed building has become a popular hub for chef-driven cuisine, music, cultural programming, and a curated selection of retail shops. “We work hard to maintain this feeling of inclusiveness,” said GPM co-owner Chris Vila, “and are delighted to share it with our growing community. In partnering with the Norton during its renovation, Grandview is excited to expand its cultural footprint and raise awareness of the wonderful programming presented at the Norton.”
“The vision and energy of Grandview Public Market, and what it offers the West Palm Beach community, is exciting,” said Norton Deputy Director Sam Ankerson. “We look forward to presenting programs at this lively, innovative new venue, and exploring connections between art, learning, and good food!”
The following Museum activities and programs will continue at other venues:
- Mini Book + Art programs will continue at Palm Beach County branch libraries 3:30 to 5 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month beginning in September.
- Book + Art programs will take place 2 to 3:30 p.m. on select Saturdays at different Palm Beach County library branches beginning in September.
- Afterschool Art Outreach, which provides year-round art classes to students ages 5 -18 at eight community centers throughout the county will continue and, instead of the normal visits to the Norton, will include free visits to other cultural institutions.
- School Partnerships with Forest Hill Community High School, Jupiter Community High School, Palm Beach Day Academy, and four International Spanish Academy Schools will continue at the schools and incorporate art projects into the schools’ curricula.
- ArtSpeaks, the annual, subscription lecture and luncheon series, will be held at the Colony Hotel in Palm Beach on Jan. 17 and 18, 2019, and also on Jan. 31 and Feb 1, 2019.
Before closing, the Museum will celebrate the completion of The New Norton structure and the reinstalling of art with a festive Art After Dark on Thursday, July 12 from 5 to 9 p.m.
The Museum also will present its annual Bastille Day celebration from noon to 5 p.m. on July 14. As always, the day features all things French: great music, art activities for all ages, art tours and talks, films, food and drink. Local quartet Les Nuages (The Clouds) returns for an encore performance, delivering joie de vivre with a mix of Parisian love songs and French gypsy-jazz. The event is free. For details, visit norton.org starting June 1.
The final day to visit before closing is Sunday, July 15.
The Museum will re-open to the general public on Feb. 9, 2019 with exciting new
exhibitions and works from the Museum Collection that have been in storage during construction, including Persian Sea-Life, better known as “The Chihuly Ceiling,” as well as new gifts and acquisitions that will be on view for the first time! Visitors also can look forward to a new restaurant and a new museum store.
The Norton’s annual, free Chinese New Year celebration is scheduled for Feb. 16, 2019, and Black History Family Day is set for Feb. 23, 2019.
About the Norton Museum of Art
Founded in 1941, the Norton Museum of Art is recognized for its distinguished holdings in American, European, and Chinese art, and a continually expanding presence for Photography and Contemporary art. Its masterpieces of 19th century and 20th century European painting and sculpture include works by Brancusi, Gauguin, Matisse, and Picasso, and American works by Stuart Davis, Hopper, O’Keeffe, Pollock, and Sheeler.
The Norton presents special exhibitions, lectures, tours, and programs for adults and children throughout the year. In 2011, the Norton launched RAW (Recognition of Art by Women), featuring the work of a living female painter or sculptor and funded by the Leonard and Sophie Davis Fund/MLDauray Arts Initiative. In 2012, the Norton established the biennial, international Rudin Prize for Emerging Photographers in partnership with Beth Rudin DeWoody, in honor of her late father, Lewis Rudin.
In 2016, the Norton broke ground for a visionary expansion designed by architecture firm Foster + Partners, under the direction of Pritzker Prize-winning architect Lord Norman Foster. The project reorients the Norton’s entrance to the main thoroughfare of South Dixie Highway, reestablishing the architectural order of the museum’s original 1941 design. New features include a 42,000-square-foot West Wing that doubles education space, and increases gallery space for the Norton’s renowned collection. The transformation of the Museum’s 6.3-acre campus will create a museum in a garden, featuring new, verdant spaces and a sculpture garden.
The Norton is located at 1451 S. Olive Ave. in West Palm Beach, Florida, and during construction is free to the public through July 15, 2018. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday noon to 5 p.m. and Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Free parking and shuttle service is available at 1501 S. Dixie Highway. The Museum is closed on Mondays and major holidays. The Museum will close for an extended period beginning July 16, 2018, and reopen Feb. 9, 2019. For additional information, please call (561) 832-5196, or visit www.norton.org.
###