The Bruce Museum is a community based, world-class cultural institution highlighting art, science, and natural history exhibitions.

In 2014, following a national search and design competition, the Bruce embarked on a journey to revitalize its campus to carry the institution into the future. Selected as result of the competition, EskewDumezRipple led a comprehensive programming study to dig deep into the needs of the museum and support its ability to serve as a community resource.

The resulting project is a comprehensive renovation of the existing museum’s 32,500-square-foot structure along with a 42,000-square-foot addition. Comprising three floors, the expansion more than doubles the existing area of the facility and creates a welcoming visitor experience with clear circulation, generous galleries, and sufficient exhibition, storage, and archival spaces for the Museum’s growing collection.

Since opening, the museum’s new spaces have quickly become a catalyst for diverse forms of engagement. The double-height lobby, café, and gift shop seamlessly merge to create an open and free-flowing public space. A new lecture hall has become a hub for community programming, celebratory gatherings, and public lectures and receptions. New changing and permanent galleries enable the museum to host new, ambitious exhibitions and provide opportunities for engagement and education.

Drawing inspiration from the unique geology of its site and surrounding region, the design team developed a delicately striated façade of cast stone and glass inspired by stone quarries found along the Connecticut coast. This exterior, animated by the play of light across the façade, dramatically changes appearance as the sun traverses the sky over the course of the day and time of year.

EskewDumezRipple Design Team

Steve Dumez, FAIA, Principal-in-Charge

Noah Marble, AIA, Design Principal

Shawn Preau, AIA, Project Manager

Javier Marcano, AIA, Project Architect

Haley Allen, AIA, Project Architect

Guan Wang

Vanessa Smith-Torres, AIA

Kyle Digby, AIA

Sam Levison, AIA

Mark Thorburn, AIA

Max Katz, AIA

Project Team

Architecture and Interiors: EskewDumezRipple
 Contractor: Turner Construction

Landscape Architect: Reed Hilderbrand

Structural Engineering: Guy Nordenson and Associates 

MEP Engineering: Altieri 

Civil Engineering: Redniss & Mead

Geotechnical: Melick-Tully and Associates

Lighting: Fisher Marantz Stone

Acoustics and A/V: Jaffe Holden

Security: Ducibella Venter Santore

Food Service: Futch Design Associates

Museum Programming: M. Goodwin Museum Planning

Envelope: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger 

Cost Estimators: Stuart-Lynn; Becker Frondorf

Code Consultant: Bruce J. Spiewak, Consulting Architect

Commissioning: The Stone House Group

Owner’s Representative: Stone Harbor Land Company

Commissioning: The Stone House Group

Photography

Tim Hursley

Richard Barnes
Michael Biondo