Anchors Expanding Notre Dame Arts District
The opening of the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art is heralding a new era for the University of Notre Dame. The strategically located 70,000-square-foot building within a prominent campus sculpture park acts as a welcoming portal for visitors. As the anchor for the developing on-campus arts district, the museum provides expanded access to Notre Dame’s 31,000 piece permanent collection.
Showcases Traditional and Cutting-Edge Works
The museum celebrates “tradition and innovation, the classic and contemporary.” Twenty-three chronological and thematic galleries are designed to highlight connections across cultures via dedicated spaces for Indigenous, Spanish colonial, modern and contemporary works. Climate-controlled cases also allow key portions of the paper and textiles collections to be displayed publicly for the first time.
Integrates Bold New Commissions
Prominent commissions by globally recognized contemporary artists make bold statements while honoring the museum’s 1875 founding. Jaume Plensa’s 36-foot stainless steel sculpture greets visitors, while Maya Lin’s large-scale relief highlights regional Indigenous histories. These works reinforce the museum’s forward focus on carrying artistic traditions actively into the future.
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Created for Public Dialogue and Engagement
Situated at both physical and metaphorical campus crossroads, the museum provides a portal for global tourists while also inviting neighboring South Bend residents to actively engage as benefactors and audiences in an ongoing dialogue around art’s evolving cultural roles.
Phase One of a Multi-Part Campus Arts Expansion
With the Raclin Murphy’s opening, plans are already developing for a second wing dedicated to research and educational facilities allowing even greater public access and participation with Notre Dame’s vast cultural heritage that has been steadily accumulating for over a century.
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