Design Profiles: Woodmere Art Museum

Baird Architects’ transformative expansion of the Woodmere Art Museum reimagines a 19th-century mansion as the new Frances M. Maguire Hall for Art and Education. The project more than doubles Woodmere’s exhibition space, with 14 new galleries showcasing more than 500 works of art, a dedicated children’s art and education space, spaces for intimate events and gatherings and four acres of preserved greenspace. 

Originally built in 1852 as a country retreat for industrialist William Henry Trotter, the Gothic Revival house served multiple uses under the Convent of the Sisters of St. Joseph— first as a girls’ school, then a college dormitory and, most recently, a residence for thenuns — before it was sold to Woodmere in 2021. Renovations began in spring 2023. Baird Architects’ design preserves the mansion’s historic character while introducing contemporary, light-filled galleries and improved visitor amenities. A precast-concrete terrace cantilevers over a revitalized landscape by Andropogon Associates, strengthening the museum’s connection to the landscape and providing expansive views. A new glass elevator brings daylight deep into the building. Historic rooms were restored to reflect the site’s layered past. The former breakfast room now serves as a sculpture gallery, retaining its carved wood paneling and original deep red paint. Bathrooms feature custom wallpapers inspired by Edna Andrade’s “Red Bounce” and “Yellow Bounce.” The vault has been transformed into a gallery dedicated to contemporary jewelry and decorative arts. A major highlight is the reinstallation of Violet Oakley’s 18-part mural cycle, “The Building ofthe House of Wisdom,” in Maguire Hall.

PROJECT: Woodmere Art Museum

LOCATION: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia

CLIENT: Woodmere Art Museum

PROJECT SIZE:17,000 square feet

PROJECT TEAM:

Architect: Baird Architects

Associate Architect: Krieger Architects

Landscape Architect: Andropogon Associates

MEP Engineer: Altieri Sebor Wieber LLC

Structural Engineer: Keast & Hood

Civil Engineer: Meliora Design

Photographer: Michael Moran