A First Look Inside the MFAH’s New Kinder Building

by Brandon Zech November 19, 2020

This weekend, on November 21, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston will officially open its long-awaited Kinder Building, which is designed by Steven Holl Architects and dedicated to showing the institution’s collection of 20th- and 21st-century art. The building is the realization of a $450 million campaign eight years in the making, which ultimately included a complete rebuild of the Glassell School of Art and a new conservation center. The project also added to the campus new underground parking garages, public plazas, and numerous artworks set in the public sphere.

Glasstire has been covering the museum’s plans ever since then-MFAH Director Peter Marzio floated the idea in an interview on our site back in 2002:

“My ideas are very preliminary, so the square footages are almost irrelevant, but imagine roughly 150,000 square feet, although it may end up being bigger, perhaps as large as the Beck building, which is 200,000 square feet. Depending on how this new building is sited, you could have a 20th century/contemporary corridor, with the sculpture garden giving way to the Glassell School, which would climax with this addition.

“Current thinking would be to avoid the words modern and contemporary and think in terms of 20th and 21st centuries, beginning with a broad historical narrative. Other galleries would display intensely oriented, specific themes.”

Ultimately, the 183,528 square foot Kinder Building has provided the museum with an additional 100,000+ square feet of exhibition space. This is dedicated to the museum’s permanent collection: five thematic exhibitions top the building’s third floor, while its second floor galleries are separated by date and media. The building also features an impressive collection of works from Latin America.

The museum’s campus redevelopment project includes two new underground tunnels, meaning that all of the campus’ buildings are now connected. These two new tunnels, mirroring the MFAH’s well-known tunnel by James Turrell, feature light installations by Olafur Eliasson and Carlos Cruz-Diez.

There’s a lot to explore. See below for a photo walkthrough of the building.

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building

The exterior of the MFAH’s new Kinder Building

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building

The exterior of the MFAH’s new Kinder Building, featuring a sculptural reflecting pool by Cristina Iglesias

MFAH kinder building

The exterior of the MFAH’s new Kinder Building, featuring a sculptural reflecting pool by Cristina Iglesias

MFAH kinder building lobby

The lobby and the building’s rotunda, featuring a mobile by Alexander Calder

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building

Artwork installed in the building’s second-floor corridor

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary Galleries

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary galleries

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary galleries

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary galleries

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary galleries

Modern art galleries at MFAH Kinder building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Modern and Contemporary galleries

John Chamberlain at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

Artwork installed in the building’s second-floor corridor

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

Works by Maurício Nogueira Lima in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

A work by Mira Schendel in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

A work by Manolita Piña in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

A work by Julio Alpuy in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Latin American art at the Museum of Fine Arts Kinder Building

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Latin American galleries

Museum of Fine arts Houston Kinder Building Lobby

The lobby of the building, seen from the second-floor mezzanine, featuring a mobile by Alexander Calder and paintings by Gerhard Richter

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

A painting by Jeff Elrod and a chair by Sebastian Brajkovic in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building decorative arts gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Decorative Arts, Crafts, and Design gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

A work by Jasper Johns in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

A work by Oqwa Pi (Abel Sánchez) in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

Works by Vija Celmins in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building works on paper

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Works on Paper gallery

A sculpture by Alberto Giacometti installed in the building’s second-floor corridor

MFAH kinder building art

Artwork installed in the building’s second-floor corridor. At right: Jason Salavon’s commission for the building’s Photography galleries

Jason Salavon artwork at the MFAH kinder building

A detail of Jason Salavon’s commission for the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

Videos playing in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

A work by Thomas Struth in the inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

Museum of Fine Arts Houston Kinder Building photography gallery

The inaugural installation in the Kinder Building’s second-floor Photography galleries

MFAH kinder building

The lobby and the building’s rotunda, seen from the second-floor mezzanine

MFAH Kinder building

Stairwell to the building’s third floor

Artwork in the MFAH kinder building

Artwork installed in the building’s third-floor corridor

Rick Lowe at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston

A painting by Rick Lowe installed in the building’s third-floor corridor

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

An installation view of Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

A work by Robert Gober in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

A work by Christian Boltanski in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

Works by Kara Walker and Vincent Valdez in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

An installation view of Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

An installation view of Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

A work by Andrea Branzi in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

An installation view of Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

A work by James Drake in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Border, Mapping, Witness art show at the MFAH Kinder Building

Works by Alejandro Cartagena in Border, Mapping, Witness, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Ken Price at the MFAH

A sculpture by Ken Price in Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Color into Light exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Color into Light, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Line Into Space exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Line into Space, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Line Into Space exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A sculpture by Ruth Asawa in Line into Space, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Line Into Space exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Line into Space, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Line Into Space exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Line into Space, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Line Into Space exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Line into Space, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A work by Vik Muniz in LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A work by The Art Guys in LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A sculpture by Claes Oldenburg in LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

LOL exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A painting by Rachel Hecker in LOL!, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Mel Chin art at the MFAH

A sculpture by Mel Chin installed in the building’s third-floor corridor

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A painting by Henry Taylor in Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

An installation view of Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Collectivity exhibition at the MFAH kinder building

A work by Jennifer Ling Datchuk in Collectivity, one of the Kinder Building’s inaugural thematic exhibitions

Luis Jimenez sculpture MFAH

A sculpture by Luis Jiménez installed in the building’s third-floor corridor

MFAH kinder building

The lobby and the building’s rotunda, seen from the third-floor balcony

James Turrell art MFAH

One of James Turrell’s Wedgework pieces, installed on the first floor of the building

Gyula Kosice museum of fine arts houston

An installation by Gyula Kosice on the first floor of the building

Tunga sculpture MFAH

A sculpture by Tunga on the first floor of the building

Anthony Caro MFAH sculpture

A sculpture by Anthony Caro on the first floor of the building

Works by Jean Tinguely, Jesus Rafael Soto, and others in one of the building’s first-floor galleries

A work by Jean Tinguely in one of the building’s first-floor galleries

Works by Jean Tinguely, Jesus Rafael Soto, and others in one of the building’s first-floor galleries

The building’s auditorium space

The building’s auditorium space

MFAH light tunnel

A light work by Carlos Cruz-Diez connects the Kinder Building with the museum’s Caroline Wiess Law Building

MFAH light tunnel

A light work by Carlos Cruz-Diez connects the Kinder Building with the museum’s Caroline Wiess Law Building

MFAH light tunnel

A light work by Olafur Eliasson connects the Kinder Building with the museum’s Glassell School of Art Building

MFAH Ai Weiwei

A sculpture by Ai Weiwei greets visitors entering and exiting Olafur Eliasson’s tunnel

MFAH light tunnel

A light work by Olafur Eliasson connects the Kinder Building with the museum’s Glassell School of Art Building

MFAH Sculptures by Byung Hoon Choi

Sculptures by Byung Hoon Choi outside one of the Kinder Building’s entrances

MFAH kinder building sculptures

A skylight near Byung Hoon Choi’s sculptures shines light into the tunnel below

MFAH Kinder building restaurant

A tapestry by Trenton Doyle Hancock hangs in one of the Kinder Building’s restaurants

MFAH Kinder building restaurant

A light work by Spencer Finch hangs in one of the Kinder Building’s restaurants

MFAH kinder building

The Kinder Building as seen from the museum’s Cullen Sculpture Garden

MFAH kinder building

The Kinder Building as seen from the museum’s Cullen Sculpture Garden

MFAH kinder building

The exterior of the MFAH’s new Kinder Building

MFAH kinder building

The exterior of the MFAH’s new Kinder Building

7 comments

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7 comments

Jane Mulholland November 19, 2020 - 09:37

Thank you for the amazing photo tour. What a gorgeous building and inspiring collection. As soon as it is safe, I hope I can lure my Art Historian sister to come to Houston and explore the building with me.

Reply
Jo Zider November 20, 2020 - 07:42

I’m almost speechless. After ascending from the tunnel with its amazing color phenonmena displayed, (and it’s not Turrell) up to the ground floor level, we decided to elevate to the top and descend Guggenheim style, gallery to gallery, and transcending down the most elegant staircases. And better than the G, the descend was interrupted by the lure of intriguing art in each of the galleries as a glimpse was there from multiple views. Warning: it is too much to expect to do a thorough examination of the artworks in one day. We were there almost three hours and yet missed some galleries. The museum should also be congratulated also on the excellent handling of the crowds of people. No paper handouts, no refreshments, not even water was available, but an abundance of sanitizing dispensers throughout the galleries and passageways. It’s a big WOW! Houston you have ascended to the sky!
and …..Glasstire, many thanks for the photo tour. It is thorough and most helpful as a post visit reference.

Reply
Ray November 20, 2020 - 14:35

The sculpture’s artist who you omitted when mentioning Jason Salavon’s commission, is Ursula von Rydingsvard, Gusta, 2018.

Reply
Amita Bhatt November 23, 2020 - 07:18

Thank you so much for this tour. It felt like I was actually there !

Reply
leatrice eagle November 24, 2020 - 11:47

Wonderful tour of the new Kinder Museum!

Reply
Cheryl D McClure November 24, 2020 - 15:21

Thank you so much for this wonderful tour. I can’t wait until I am able to get out again and make a trip to Houston.

Reply
Lynne Wagner December 9, 2020 - 04:57

I was in awe throughout this whole visual tour. Spectacular!

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