Longmont Museum raises $10.2M for expansion

LONGMONT — A capital campaign launched in 2023 has raised $10.2 million for expansion of the Longmont Museum, the city announced this week.

The campaign initially aimed to raise $8.1 million but expanded its target to meet the needs of the community. More than 450 individuals, foundations and corporations supported the fund drive.

“Grateful doesn’t even begin to cover how we feel to be at this moment in our fundraising and to call our capital campaign complete,” museum director Erik Mason said in a prepared statement. “Our heartfelt thanks go out to every one of the people who made a contribution toward the future of the museum.”

The Stewart Family Foundation was a key contributor to the museum’s expansion, donating more than $6 million. The foundation honors the legacy of local business leaders Lila and Bill Stewart, who were strong supporters of the museum during their lifetimes.

During her lifetime, Lila Jean Stewart was also instrumental in the construction of the museum’s 250-seat Stewart Auditorium. She died in in 2018.

Lila and Bill Stewart, 2014 inductees into the Boulder County Business Hall of Fame, owned KLMO-AM 1060 and FM 104.3 from 1959 to 2000.

“I want to extend a special thank you to the Stewart Family Foundation, whose vision and commitment early in this project helped ensure its success,” Mason said. “Your belief in what the Longmont Museum can be for our community has made this bold step forward a reality.”

Construction is ongoing and follows multiple years of program growth, evaluation and community conversations about needs and priorities for the cultural facility.

The expanded museum, scheduled to open in October, will bring a new children’s gallery with interactive play spaces, a larger feature gallery for adult-focused art exhibits, and a new permanent history gallery. The museum’s entrance will also be larger and more accessible.

The museum’s outdoor Stewart Family Courtyard was redeveloped as part of an earlier phase of this project and opened last summer. It now features a new stage and twice as much space for concerts and events.

As construction continues, the museum’s galleries and exhibits remain closed. However, programs hosted by the museum, including art classes for adults and children, camps, films, concerts, talks, historic tours and more, continue uninterrupted.

The museum continues to raise funds to build the exhibitions for the new galleries, according to a news release.More information on the expansion is online at supportlongmontmuseum.org.

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