The New Orleans Museum of Art will have two projects underway in 2018.
Last week, The Advocate reported that the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden at City Park will undergo a 6.5 acre expansion, effectively doubling its size. The Garden, which opened in 2003, is roughly 5 acres.
While many details are not publicly available, the expansion will include incorporating part of the City Park Lagoon and the McFadden Girl Scout Cabin. Though, the cabin will be independent of the sculpture garden, according to the Lease Agreement NOMA filed with City Park.
Planning for the Garden’s expansion will start in 2018. The 64-piece sculpture garden will continue to be free and open to the public.
Earlier this year, NOMA began its $8.4 million renovation. After closing part of Collins Diboll Circle in August, contractors started hurricane-proofing the basement level of the museum, which was damaged after Hurricanes Katrina and Issac. The renovation requires the removal of nearly 25,000 square feet of four-inch thick concrete, add a water-proofing layer, and apply new concrete on top of that layer.