BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Albright-Knox Art Gallery broke ground on a $155 million expansion project last year.
The addition to the gallery is called the Gundlach Building, which will provide space for two to three times more art to be shown in the museum.
Despite the COVID pandemic, it's still on schedule to be done in 2022.
"Of course the pandemic has impacted everyone in the United States and around the world. Our construction site was closed for the month of April and part of May. That caused a little bit of a time-lapse of six weeks," according to Janne Sirén, Albright-Knox Peggy Pierce Elfvin director.
"However, because we were in the mass excavation phase, we were actually able to gain some time in the weeks of construction during the summer."
A few weeks ago, the foundation was laid for the building and an underground parking lot.
You'll notice several changes on the exterior leading up to the fall too.
"By August, basically the structure of the new building you see in the virtual rendering behind me will be ready and visible to everybody driving down Elmwood Avenue," Sirén said.
When the expansion project is done, it will be the Buffalo AKG Art Museum.
Not only will you be able to see more art inside the building, but an enlarged outdoor space will provide more room for art in the sculpture gardens.
Because of COVID, the museum has held virtual programs, engaging audiences from around the world.
The Albright-Knox Northland location reopened Friday with a new exhibit "Comunidades Visibles" for the public. It features works from Latinx artists on the history of immigration in the states.
If you're looking to do something this weekend with or without a Valentine, that is always an option.
Admission is free, but you must pre-register and get tickets online because of the pandemic.