ASU Mayer Museum Completes $7.9M Expansion with New Event Hall and Gallery

SAN ANGELO, TX - The $7.9 million expansion projects for Angelo State University's Mayer Museum that began in the summer of 2024 have been completed, giving the facility additional spaces for exhibits, public programming and community events.

The new areas include a $4.5 million, single-story expansion to the southwest side of the museum. The approximately 4,200-square-foot indoor part of the addition houses a large general use/events space, food service area, support spaces and in-wall display cases for exhibits. It has been named Mayer Hall in honor and memory of Ferdinand and Jette Steiner Mayer. The outdoor part of the expansion features an approximately 1,150-square-foot covered patio.

The other $3.4 million expansion features a nearly 2,400-square-foot, single-story addition to the west side of the museum that houses a new open gallery space for traveling and collaborative exhibits. It has been named the Solomon and Ernestine Bush Mayer Gallery.

The two expansion projects were primarily funded by additional gifts from long-time ASU supporters Richard and B.J. Mayer, who previously funded construction of the original $17 million, 32,000-square-foot Mayer Museum.

"B.J. Mayer's dream was to create a teaching museum at Angelo State, and as her dreams have continued to grow, so has the Mayer Museum," said ASU President Ronnie Hawkins. "The new additions greatly enhance our ability to both educate and entertain the Ram Family and the community, as well as make the museum an attractive site for campus, public and private events. The generosity of Richard and B.J. Mayer continues to amaze us, and we couldn't be more grateful for their continued support of our students, our mission and our strong relationship with the community."

Originally opened in May 2021, the Mayer Museum also houses a main exhibit floor, another large exhibit gallery, smaller exhibit rooms, a dedicated Kid's Cave children's area and the ASU West Texas Collection. Permanent exhibits include the centerpiece Dinosaur Collection, an extensive Geology Collection, and the K. Michael Conaway Archive and Exhibit. Additionally, various traveling and collaborative exhibits are displayed throughout the year.

The new Mayer Hall will be available soon to rent for public and private events via the ASU Special Events website at reservations.angelo.edu, and the new Mayer Gallery will immediately provide areas to expand various museum programs.

"The added gallery space will allow us to create and host more exhibitions, including collaborative exhibits with ASU departments, students, faculty and alumni, for the campus and the community to enjoy," said Bekah Coleman, museum director. "The additional exhibits will also enhance our monthly Night at the Museum events and our Camp Curiosity summer camps for kids."

The Mayer Museum also supports ASU student art programs with classrooms, specialized labs for graphic design, sculpture and ceramics, and student gallery space, along with faculty and staff offices and support spaces in the east section of the facility.

Located at 2501 W. Ave. N, the Mayer Museum is open weekly from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and admission is always free to the public. Tens of thousands of people of all ages have visited the museum since it opened to browse the exhibits and take part in educational programs and lectures, scheduled children's camps and activities, and school field trips.

The expansion of the Mayer Museum is also another example of why securing funding to support new and enhanced campus facilities is one of the top priorities of ASU's ongoing "Leading the Charge" capital campaign.

More details on the campaign and ways to contribute are available online at angelo.edu/leading-the-charge or by calling the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 325-942-2116.