Part of the Reynolda House Museum of American Art will temporarily close for seven months beginning in January.
The museum’s historic house will close for an $8 million update to its HVAC system. Three of the 11 units being replaced have been in operation since 1937.
Reynolda House Betsy Main Babcock Deputy Director Phil Archer says the bungalow-style home was originally designed for breeziness with shady porches to relax on.
“But when we became a museum of art, we had to privilege the safety of the paintings," he says. "The good thing about this new system is it'll kind of be able to do both, because we'll be able to control room by room a lot better.”
Archer says the change will keep artwork in better condition and provide more comfort for visitors.
The Museum’s Babcock wing will open in March for its spring exhibit, “Layered Looking: Making Sense of Art,” and the entire museum will reopen on August 5 for the fall exhibition.