At the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, the Steven Holl Architects–designed Bloch Building readies for a “complete building refresh”

Renovation work will begin soon on the Bloch Building at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City designed by Steven Holl Architects. The repairs will happen alongside design work by Weiss/Manfredi and SCAPE on the new addition underway at the museum.

In its winning competition proposal, Weiss/Manfredi’s addition emulated the harmonious rhythm of the Bloch Building. In renderings the two sets of volumes face one another with the museum’s expansive front lawn located in between. The original 1933 building at Nelson-Atkins will also be completely reassessed as part of the campus refresh.

The Bloch Building is now 20 years old and in need of repairs, Nelson-Atkins said.

Walter P Moore, the engineering company, has been working with museum officials to evaluate the Bloch Building’s condition and determine an improvement plan. McCownGordon, a Kansas City–based construction company, will be the general contractor.

Dan Wehmueller, a licensed architect, will steer the renovation as the museum’s executive project manager. This project team responsible for renovating the Bloch Building will provide “preventive maintenance” strategies, including a replacement of the building’s original green roof.

The “complete building refresh” will also involve painting and repairing interior walls, and resurfacing the floors. Nelson-Atkins affirmed that “these updates will not change the Bloch Building’s beloved architecture.”

Nelson-Atkins director and CEO Julián Zugazagoitia said in a statement: “This essential refresh is Phase One of our multi-year campus transformation, which paves the way for future expansion. We are currently planning and fundraising for the next phase-space to welcome even more of our community to the museum for a wide variety of exhibitions and activities.”

Thanks to a $20 million grant from the Marion and Henry Bloch Family Foundation, the renovation work at the Bloch Building begins this month. Museum patrons can expect staggered closures in select exhibition spaces in the Bloch Building throughout 2026.

Separate but related, Nelson-Atkins also shared this week that a local architect will be selected in Spring 2026 to work in tandem with Weiss/Manfredi on the planned museum expansion.