When it comes to development in Las Vegas, often all eyes are on “The Strip,” but for just over two decades developers have been playing their cards at a site just north of the casinos, closer to Downtown Las Vegas. Formerly a railyard, Symphony Park is a mixed-use neighborhood where a number of cultural and institutional projects have taken hold in Sin City, among these a performing arts center and children’s museum. This week, the City of Las Vegas announced Symphony Park’s next cultural venue: Las Vegas Museum of Art. The forthcoming art space will be designed by Kéré Architecture and will operate through a partnership with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
Las Vegas has the highest per capita of casinos in the U.S., but is the largest city in the country without a major art museum. Therefore, it’s only fitting that its foray into the art world be through the generosity of Elaine Wynn, cofounder of Mirage and Wynn Resorts and also a co-chair on LACMA’s Board.
Wynn told the New York Times, “My days are numbered. I thought, what’s my final gift? I want to leave an imprint other than my name on a hotel casino.”
Her vision is coming to life thanks to a partnership with LACMA and LACMA director Michael Govan. In a statement Wynn shared the importance of bringing a world-renowned center for art to Las Vegas: “For a community like Las Vegas to rightfully assume its place of prominence in the global cities of the world, it must have cultural grounding,” she said. “The creation of an art museum as an intentional act by a public/private partnership, demonstrates our commitment to do this.”
In teaming up with LACMA, the Las Vegas Museum of Art will be able to exhibit pieces and objects on loan from LACMA’s vast collection. Exhibitions and programming at the museum will be formulated on LACMA’s strong, established foundation.
According to the city, the new museum will be sited on a 1.5-acre plot in Symphony Park. Kéré Architecture will lead the design efforts for the building and campus. Initial renderings of the project reveal a volume that elegantly recalls the desert context in its color and use of texture. Kéré said the nearby Guardian Angel Cathedral by Paul Revere Williams, also served as a point of inspiration for the forthcoming museum. The church’s distinctive angular form appears to be replicated across the facade of Kéré’s design.
The Pritzker Prize–winning architect shared in a statement, “Our design blends the beauty of the desert environment with local building principles and the passion and collaborative spirit of the Las Vegas Museum of Art to create a space where dreams come to life.”
The structure adapts a boxy form at its top and tapers on its lower levels. Two stories of gallery space will be situated above an open plaza that can host community events. There are also plans to have a sculpture park on the site.
The cost for designing and building the Las Vegas Museum of Art will total $150 million. Construction is expected to start by February 2027, with an expected completion date in 2028. A fundraising campaign is underway. When open to the public the Las Vegas Museum of Art could harbor $181.5 million each year.
