Agnes Etherington Arts Centre

Project Type
Art Gallery

Location
Kingston, ON

Client
Queen’s University

Art Gallery and support spaces including collection vaults, work space, public lobby, and classrooms. The expansion enabled the Art Centre to make the Bader’s generous gift of 17th-century Old Masters Dutch paintings, valued at $50 million, and considered the best of its kind in North America, available to the public. It creates display space for the permanent collection and space to bring travelling exhibitions to the Art Centre.

This project includes a 10,000 sq.ft vault with strict humidity and temperature controls which meet Class A ASHRAE Museum Standards. Associated with the vault are spaces for researchers and scholars to study and access the collection. The building has very strict environmental controls including specialized gallery lighting, humidity and air quality controls, and security systems. The environmental controls meet the international standards necessary to house the collection safely and to qualify for touring exhibitions.

The enhanced interpretive facilities are available to the community for lectures, concerts, films, and art classes. The expansion also creates a new art rental and retail shop to increase the revenue of the Art Centre’s operation. This project included the restoration of the Historic Agnes Etherington House and the redevelopment of the grounds.

Project was a joint venture with DSAI.