The new glass panels at the entrance of the Amon Carter Museum of American Art are meant to give museum visitors a clear view of downtown Fort Worth – a view once obstructed by shades that covered the old glass to avoid bringing too much light into the building.
The glass facade is part of the museum’s renovation to the entrance of the building, a project led by engineering firm Arup Texas, Inc., which served as the museum’s primary design consultant and engineer. Construction began in February and was completed this month. On Thursday, the entrance opened to visitors for the first time since construction began.
“We wanted, in this instance, to remind Fort Worth and the region – and the nation, really – that this is a place where the community comes,” museum director Andrew Walker said. “This is the city’s museum.”
The new glass not only allows for a clearer view of downtown but also has better control over the amount of light that comes into the building. The light control aids in the preservation of the art, according to a news release. Each glass panel is 8-feet by 12-feet and weighs about 1,300 pounds.
The museum will host a party Saturday to celebrate the completion of construction, featuring food trucks, a photo booth and live music by local acts such as the Quaker City Night Hawks and The Unlikely Candidates.
“I think this is a great time for us to be opening our doors to the community after not having our front door for more than six months,” Walker said. “There’s great satisfaction that we’ve come to this place, and I’m looking very much forward to seeing how people react.”