ODU breaks ground on $25M Barry Art Museum expansion

The Barry Art Museum at Old Dominion University in Norfolk is undergoing a massive $25 million expansion that will double its gallery space.

ODU last week broke ground on the project, which will add a 25,200-square-foot, three-story wing that includes a multiuse event space, a new media video gallery showcasing multimedia artworks, a community gallery dedicated for local artists and community exhibitions, an educational laboratory and expanded art storage. More than 200 people gathered outside the museum Wednesday for the groundbreaking ceremony.

The museum, which sits at the intersection of 43rd Street and Hampton Boulevard, opened in 2018. It was made possible due to donations from philanthropists Carolyn and Richard Barry that were valued at more than $35 million.

“Never could we have imagined then how our modest vision for an intimate campus art museum would grow into what is now a vibrant cultural and community hub,” said museum co-founder Carolyn Barry in a statement.

Virginia Beach-based firm Saunders + Crouse Architects, which designed the existing facility, is designing the new addition. The museum will close on July 31 for construction and is expected to reopen in early 2027.

“This expansion will further the museum’s ability to serve as a space of connection and inspiration for all who walk through its doors — whether they are students encountering glass art for the first time, or lifelong learners engaging with new ideas,” said ODU Real Estate Foundation Board of Trustees Chair Lisa Chandler in a statement. “It is a shining example of what’s possible when vision, philanthropy and partnership come together.”

According to a news release, the impetus for the expansion was a gift from the family of the late Leah and Richard Waitzer of 165 works of 20th-century and contemporary glass sculptures. The Waitzers were prominent philanthropists and art collectors. The added wing will be known as the Waitzer Wing.