by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
Community-backed campaign raises $10.2 million to expand cultural space and reopen in 2026
The Longmont Museum has raised $10.2 million to expand its building, surpassing its original $8.1 million goal and marking a major investment in arts, history, and community life in Northern Colorado.
Launched in 2023, the capital campaign drew support from more than 450 individuals, foundations, and corporations over two years. The effort will fund expanded gallery space, enhanced accessibility, and new areas designed to serve children, families, artists, and history enthusiasts across the region.
Museum Director Erik Mason thanked supporters for their commitment to the project, calling the campaign’s completion a significant milestone for the community.
A key contributor to the expansion was the Stewart Family Foundation, which donated more than $6 million. The foundation honors the legacy of local business leaders Lila and Bill Stewart, longtime supporters of the Museum. The Stewart Family Courtyard, redeveloped in summer 2025 as an earlier phase of the project, now includes a new stage and expanded space for concerts and public events.
Construction is ongoing and follows several years of program growth and community conversations about the Museum’s evolving role. The expanded facility, set to open in October 2026, will feature a new children’s gallery with interactive play spaces, a larger feature gallery for adult-focused art exhibits, a new permanent history gallery, and a more accessible entrance.
While the Museum’s galleries remain closed during construction, programs continue uninterrupted. Art classes, camps, films, concerts, lectures, and historic tours are still taking place, maintaining the Museum’s presence as a cultural hub for Longmont and the broader Northern Colorado region.
The Museum continues fundraising to build out exhibitions for the new galleries. More information about the expansion and ways to get involved is available at https://supportlongmontmuseum.org and at https://www.longmontmuseum.org.
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Attribution: Longmont Museum