For decades, the Fuller Craft Museum has been New England’s destination for contemporary craft. Now, with a growing permanent collection and community, the Museum contracted with Schwartz/Silver for an expansion plan that supports collections storage and future growth, further flexibility in other back of house spaces, and an updated main entry to ensure universal accessibility.

The collections storage addition and renovation project includes converting a courtyard into an enclosed visible storage display space, and a reconfiguration of the existing building’s back of house spaces. The proposed addition will be on the southeast side of the existing museum and will align with the historical integrity of the original building design while solving operational issues and constraints. The visible storage gallery was proposed by Schwartz/Silver not only to fulfill collection storage space requirements, but also as an opportunity for the Fuller Craft Museum to redefine how patrons interact with the unique, craft-based collections perviously hidden from display.

The museum will also undertake comprehensive ADA accessibility upgrades; various strategies for entry sequences were studied, and this project will create a new ramp adjacent to the main entrance to ensure that all museum visitors have a similar wayfinding experience. Additionally, the existing LULA lift will be replaced with an ADA compliant elevator and machine room made possible by the expanded footprint, a new fire suppression system will be installed throughout the museum, and the entry vestibule and lobby will be refurbished with carpeting and automatic operators to necessary doors.