Image: Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
The MFA’s collection galleries will temporarily close from September 21 through November 21, 2026, as the museum prepares ‘Art Unbound’; the MFA itself will remain open during that period.
Rather than presenting the collection simply by date or geographic region, ‘Art Unbound’ will organize the updated galleries around universal human themes, bringing works from different cultures and time periods into conversation with one another. The museum says the new installation will encourage visual conversations and reveal universal human themes within a shared history.
The reinstallation is part of a multi-phase project that will reimagine how visitors experience the museum across the collection galleries, transitional spaces and outdoor campus. The MFA frames ‘Art Unbound’ as an extension of founder Margaret Acheson Stuart’s vision of the museum as a “place for the people,” building toward an experience that feels more accessible, community-centered and relevant to a wide range of visitors.
When the collection galleries reopen, works by Elisabeth Vigée-LeBrun, Claude Monet and Georgia O’Keeffe will remain in the collection, although they may appear in new locations alongside different works; the museum also says works will rotate more frequently, offering new ways to encounter the collection.
During the closure, visitors can still see the exhibition ‘New African Masquerades’ and take part in museum programming that includes music performances, workshops and a book club.
