St. Paul museum seeks state's help to complete facility project

Work to refurbish the Minnesota Museum of American Art may get an additional shot in the arm from a bill given an informational hearing by the House Capital Investment Committee Wednesday.

Sponsored by Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), HF3510 would appropriate $2.5 million to go along with a $6 million appropriation approved in 2017 for designing, building and equipping new museum galleries and an art study facility, work that is part of multi-phase project for the organization and restoration of the building complex. 

WATCH Committee discussion of the bill 

The museum is located in downtown St. Paul in the historic Pioneer Endicott building complex which dates back to the late-1800s. It was founded at around the same time and has been housed in several locations during its history. The museum is one of the oldest visual arts organizations in Minnesota and now holds more than 4,500 artworks meant to showcase the voice of American artists.

The additional money would complete the original $8.5 million bonding request.

“We are coming back to complete the project for this extraordinary asset that we have here in St. Paul,” the museum’s executive director, Dr. Kristin Makholm, told the committee.