The Building

The renovation and expansion of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum in 2005-2006 dramatically improved the museum’s ability to store and display art and has increased the square footage of the facilities from 11,000 to 19,500 square feet.

While presenting an architectural identity within Provincetown’s unique context, the renovation has improved all of the museums’ capacities within programming, education, archival, and community activities.

Facility Features:

6,000 square feet of interior spaces and three outdoor sculpture gardens
Inviting outdoor seating within our beautiful landscaped yards
All-season climate control for humidity, cooling, and heating
Disability access – PAAM is ADA Compliant
Large screen: standard audio/video capacity

PAAM’s physical plant has been awarded a Silver LEED rating by the United States Green Building Council to recognize the museum’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The rating quantifies PAAM’s environmental performance, and assures the public that the facility is designed and operated to help save energy and natural resources.

PAAM has received a 2006 American Institute of Architects Merit Award for Design Excellence, and recognition within the AIA’s 2007 Committee on the Environment (COTE).

The building is wood-frame construction over a concrete basement. The older portion of the museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is clad with white cedar shingles; the newer portion of the museum is clad with custom Spanish cedar shingles and louvers.

There are board-form concrete walls at the facility’s new entry and along the west wall. Interior materials include heartpine and douglas fir floors, plaster walls and white oak cabinetry.

Significant aspects of PAAM’s green building program include:

Updating and reusing a significant portion of the existing structure, preserving and recycling materials and history
The creation of a thermally efficient “skin” with added insulation and high-performance windows – a tight building resistant to the variables of humidity and temperature in a New England coastal environment
The use of natural light where possible in gallery and studio spaces, saving energy costs while providing a beneficial environment conductive to the presentation and creation of works of art
Installation of a “daylight dimming” system to supplement natural light with artificial light as required
Use of a photovoltaic array to generate a portion of the building’s energy from sunlight
Installation of high-efficient plumbing and mechanical equipment
Providing a ventilation system that, when appropriate, allows the building to be cooled with outside air
Use of recycled, local and low-emitting building materials where possible
Installation of landscape materials that utilizes native plants and minimizes run-off from storm water