AN INSTITUTE FOR THE FUTURE THE FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN'S RESOURCES
HS&A was the Project Manager for the $25 million Women's Museum located at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas. The Women's Museum: An Institute for the Future is a new museum centered on women's history and issues. It is a one-of-a-kind facility, a place to impart the stories of women through the latest in state-of-the-art technology.
The building, originally designed as the State Fair Coliseum, and later known as the Administration Building, was built in 1910. Originally, it housed livestock shows during the day and served as an opera hall at night. Wooden benches seating 7,500 were set up on the dirt floor for performances. In 1936, a three-story art deco facade was added in keeping with the architectural theme of the Texas Centennial Exposition. A statue of a woman emerging from a cactus was erected at the building's entrance and became the symbol of the Centennial. Behind the statue is a mural depicting images of Texas.
The exterior of the building and the entry lobby have been restored to the 1936 art deco period design. The interior of the building was fully renovated and redesigned to house the museum exhibits and other facilities. The interior features an architecturally stunning main lobby, referred to as "The Gathering," a state-of-the-art auditorium, and technology driven exhibits including the "electronic quilt."
The Museum opened for the annual Texas State Fair in September 2000.
LOCATION: Fair Park, Dallas, Texas
SERVICES PROVIDED: Project Management
TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION: Renovation
PROJECT SIZE: 80,000 square feet
PROJECT COST: $25,000,000
COMPLETION DATE: September 2000