Albany Museum of Art to break ground at downtown location in 2025

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Leaders behind the Albany Museum of Art’s move to the downtown area say they hope to break ground next year. But they’re asking Dougherty County for more financial help to do it.

Museum administration tells WALB that they have outgrown their current space next to ASU’s West Campus. So, the Albany Museum of Art will move to 128 West Broad Avenue, a building that sits in the heart of downtown Albany.

“I think it’ll change the complexion, both of downtown and of the museum where we are currently. It’s a beautiful spot here in the pecan groves on ASU Campus West, but I think sometimes people forget about us,” said Andy Wulf, the museum’s executive director.

The project already has $20 million in funding, but Wulf is asking the county for another $1.7 million.

The museum would be twice as big in its' new location. Five exhibitions will be added as well as a museum store, a café, a sculpture garden, and more.

“It’s a 58,000 square-foot campus, including the sculpture, garden, and parking lot. We will be adding the stone warehouse, which is this 1924 building on the backside of the museum that will become artist studios and an artist gallery for working artists,” continued Wulf.

Wulf tells WALB that he is excited to introduce a café space that will give both children and adults that “third space” a lot of the community is missing.

“In the discussion about how we’re designing our cafe space, we’re talking about furniture itself and how we can draw youth to actually be there longer to stay, actually study and spend time there. We want Albany State University to really aid and abet the up-and-coming college town-ness of Albany. We’re really missing that dimension,” said Andy Wulf.

Those behind the project say it will create more than 125 full-time jobs for the duration of the construction.

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