Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, commonly known as MSU Broad or BAM, is a nonprofit contemporary art museum located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. Designed by the renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the museum opened on November 10, 2012, and has since served as a significant cultural institution bridging the university community and the broader public. Its distinctive architecture and free admission policy for galleries and most programs have established it as an accessible gateway for contemporary art engagement in the Midwest.

The museum's origins trace back to 1999 when a committee called Better Art Museum formed with the goal of creating a larger museum facility. On June 1, 2007, Michigan State University announced a $26 million donation from alumnus and Fortune 500 businessman Eli Broad and his wife, philanthropist and art collector Edythe Broad, along with The Broad Art Foundation in Los Angeles. This represented the largest gift in the university's history at that time. Following the announcement, the MSU Board of Trustees approved construction. An architectural competition drew approximately 30 firms, from which ten semifinalists and then five finalists were selected: Zaha Hadid, Coop Himmelb(l)au, Morphosis, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, and Randall Stout Architects. On January 15, 2008, Zaha Hadid was announced as the winner. Construction began on March 16, 2010, with a groundbreaking ceremony attended by Eli Broad and Zaha Hadid. The original opening date of April 21, 2012 was postponed to November 10, 2012 due to material supply delays and a priority placed on student involvement in opening activities. Michael Rush was appointed founding director in December 2010 and served until his death from pancreatic cancer on March 27, 2015. Marc-Olivier Wahler succeeded him on March 9, 2016. The museum also served as a filming location for portions of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in October 2014.

The museum's permanent collection encompasses over 10,000 pieces, including more than 7,500 works inherited from the Kresge Art Museum, MSU's former art museum, when it closed. This inherited material represents a wide array of artistic production from ancient times to the present, across the world, in various media. The collection includes Ancient Greek and Roman antiquities, pre-Columbian sculptures and vessels, Medieval and Renaissance illuminations, Old Master paintings, 19th-century American paintings, and 20th-century sculpture. The curatorial focus, however, centers on a global perspective on emerging to mid-career artists. Current emphasis in collection growth and new acquisitions prioritizes what the museum describes as 'the art of our time,' with explicit efforts to rewrite collecting practices and priorities to focus primarily on artists of color, women artists, and other groups historically underrepresented and undervalued in Western art history. A selection of works from the permanent collection, rotating three times annually, is displayed in the museum's Center for Object Research and Engagement (The CORE), which opened in November 2023.

Significant holdings within the collection span multiple periods and media. The inherited Kresge Art Museum materials include Ancient Greek and Roman antiquities, pre-Columbian sculptures and vessels, Medieval and Renaissance illuminations, and Old Master paintings. The 19th-century American paintings and 20th-century sculpture form another substantial component, with works by artists such as Alexander Calder and Jenny Holzer represented. Contemporary artists in the collection include Chuck Close and Ann Hamilton. The museum's exhibition programming also features artists achieving their Master of Fine Arts degree at Michigan State University, integrating emerging local talent with established international figures.

The museum building, designed by Zaha Hadid, is constructed of steel and concrete with a pleated stainless steel and glass exterior. The structural system combines steel framing with concrete shear and bearing walls, while floors are finished as polished concrete and wood in the galleries. The exterior rain-screen system consists of sheathed steel framing clad with folding and pleated stainless steel panels, with high-performance glazing for windows, doors, and skylights. Seventy percent of the 46,000 square feet is dedicated to exhibition space, including non-traditional venues such as the Education Wing and the Benefactor's Gallery. The three-level structure, lower, ground, and second, reaches approximately 38 feet at its highest point on the west side (Minskoff Gallery) and slopes to about 24 feet on the east side (Education Wing). Its layout centers around a floating staircase from which galleries branch out. Second-level spaces offer dramatic views of both campus and downtown East Lansing. The building is adjoined by an outdoor sculpture garden extending the east entrance courtyard and a pedestrian plaza at the west entrance. The design emphasizes community engagement, with internal galleries and public spaces positioned to create intentional exchange between the city, its inhabitants, museum visitors, and art. Parallel doors connect campus to the downtown area, functioning as a gateway between the East Lansing community and the university.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum is located on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. Admission to the galleries and all community events and programs is free for all visitors, with only certain special exhibitions charging admission fees. The museum organizes a few hundred programs for various ages, all open to the public at no charge. Its rotating exhibition schedule allows for frequent new shows. The museum's website is http://broadmuseum.msu.edu/.