FARGO — The Plains Art Museum started breaking down walls Thursday, both physically and metaphorically.
The downtown Fargo institution kicked off phase one of its Connections Campaign, which will ultimately link the main building at 704 1st Ave. N. to the adjacent Katherine Kilbourne Center for Creativity across an alley to the west.
Construction of the 6,400-square foot Brian J. Hayer Family Welcome Center is expected to start by 2029, after the capital campaign raises $15 million.
The first phase will be expanding the lower level vault where the museum’s collection is housed.
Thursday’s kick-off event was held in the basement — typically off limits to the public — and was billed as a groundbreaking, but was rather a wall-smashing. Representatives from the project used gold sledgehammers to knock holes into what was the museum’s storage vault.
Brian Hayer hits the wall of the Plains Art Museum with a hammer during a groundbreaking event for the Plains Art Museum’s Connections Campaign on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the museum Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
A reconstructed room will expand the space from 2,150 square feet to 3,700 square feet, featuring glass walls and open doors to allow the public to see more of the Plains’ 6,000-plus pieces.
An architect’s rendering of the new vault space at the Plains Art Museum, which should open in early 2027.
Contributed / Plains Art Museum
Erin Shapiro, director and CEO of the Plains, said that only 18 percent of American museums have this kind of open access storage.
Plains Art Museum Director and CEO Erin Shapiro speaks during a groundbreaking event for the Plains Art Museum’s Connections Campaign on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the museum in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
“So this is truly a cutting-edge project,” she said after knocking a hole in the wall. “To bring that here to Fargo, that level of art access, that forward-thinking momentum with how the public interacts with our objects, is absolutely incredible. It’s something we’re really proud of as the leader of the arts in the state.”
The Plains Art Museum is the only American Alliance of Museums accredited art museum in North Dakota. In October it became the first and only Smithsonian Affiliate in the state.
Fargo’s Mayor-elect, Josh Boschee, who watched from the crowd, said the project is exciting for the community.
Fargo Mayor-elect and North Dakota Sen. Josh Boschee mingles at a groundbreaking event for the Plains Art Museum on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the museum in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
“This continues to build upon our great culture scene and one of the many things that keeps Fargo vibrant,” he said. “We know that people want to stay in a place and have things to enjoy, but also, it’s a great way to bring people to visit.”
A full crowd fills the Plains Art Museum for their groundbreaking event on Thursday, June 11, 2026, in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
The expanded collections space is needed as the Plains has acquired more than 450 works in the last two years, including pieces by contemporary artists Brad Kahlhamer, Wendy Red Star and Aaron Spangler. The museum also received the collection and archive of master printmaker Steven M. Andersen and works from regional Indigenous tribes from the Ralph T. Coe Center for the Arts in Santa Fe, N.M.
Artist Brad Kahlhamer.
Maggie Shannon / Special to The Forum
The expansion will take over space that had been used for storage that wasn’t art. The expanded vault will be climate controlled to maintain the integrity and safety of stored art.
The collection was moved to a secure location until the vault expansion is completed by the end of the year.
Construction will begin shortly with some of the main floor atrium flooring removed to install a vapor barrier above the new, expanded vault, but programming and exhibitions will not be interrupted.
The original freight elevator in the Plains Art Museum will be replaced with a newer lift to bring visitors down to the new expanded and accessible vault.
Chris Flynn / The Forum
So far, the Plains has raised $4.7 million of the $15 million for the Connections Campaign, with the bulk of that coming in a $3 million donation from Fargo businessman Brian Hayer. At Thursday’s event, Shapiro said it was the largest donation to an arts organization in North Dakota history.
In his comments, Hayer, who served on the Plains’ board of directors for nine years, said the existing entry of the Plains on Seventh Street North can be intimidating, as guests have to walk up stairs to the welcome desk. The new center connecting the buildings will feature a main entrance on street level facing First Avenue North.
“We want everyone to come into the Plains Art Museum and experience art,” he said.
When Hayer announced the gift three years ago, he said that when he came out as a gay man two decades earlier, he felt that the Plains was a welcoming and accepting place.
On Thursday he introduced his family and discussed how art was important to everyone, from his artist mother to his grandchildren who take classes at the museum.
Later, he said he felt thrilled to make an impact on an institution that has meant so much to him and others.
Brian Hayer, who donated $3 million to the Plains Art Museum’s Connections Campaign, speaks during a groundbreaking event at the museum on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
“It’s overwhelming and just such a great feeling of giving back,” Hayer said. “To be able to include my family here, because it’s my family that’s giving it, that was very meaningful. Rather than giving those gifts when I’m dead, which you never know, but to be able to see it, and feel it and have my family there is great.”
In addition to the Brian J. Hayer Family Welcome Center, phase two will include a new elevator to the basement level for guests to visit the vault.
The new facility is designed by the architecture firm Olson Kundig, which is known for its museum work, with JLG serving as the Architect of Record. Construction will be handled by Mortenson Construction.
A groundbreaking ceremony takes place for the Plains Art Museum’s Connections Campaign on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at the museum in Fargo.
Alyssa Goelzer / The Forum
For almost 30 years John Lamb has been covering arts and entertainment in the Red River Valley. He started writing for the High Plains Reader in 1997 and moved to The Forum in 2002. He is an Annenberg fellow, an occasional judge for talent shows and food contestants and co-hosts the weekly “Gardening Together: The Podcast.” He’s rubbed shoulders with Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain, drank with National Book Award winner Colm McCann, had coffee with Grammy-winning classical musician Peter Schickele and interviewed countless other artists, actors, musicians, writers and assorted interesting people. Contact John at jlamb@forumcomm.com.