UI Museum of Art update

The committee charged with discussing the future of the University of Iowa Museum of Art is leaning toward making a recommendation to build a new museum in the UI's Old Capitol district, a designated area on the east side of campus in the campus master plan.

The committee, established by UI President Sally Mason last August to discuss the future of the flood-damaged Museum of Art, met this afternoon and discussed its draft report, which members hopes to finalize and send to Mason yet this month. The committee will meet again next Friday.

Many committee members today said they would like to see a new UI Museum of Art built somewhere in the Old Capitol district, which is bordered by the Iowa River on the west, the edge of Old Capitol Mall on the south and includes Van Allen and Phillips halls on the east. Some potential locations within that district mentioned today by committee members include the parking ramp across the street from the Iowa Memorial Union, Halsey Hall and Trowbridge Hall, though it's undecided which sites will make it into the final report as  suggestions.

Committee members also likely will recommend a larger museum than the previous facility, and one with more classroom space that involves more students.