During his lifetime, Sewell Biggs amassed a sizeable collection of 17th and 18th century fine and decorative arts from the Mid-Atlantic region as well as some more recent works including several watercolor paintings by Samuel Homsey. Wishing to promote of the understanding and appreciation of the arts and culture of Delaware and the region, he founded the Biggs Museum in 1993 in historic downtown Dover.
Homsey Architects has been closely involved with the Biggs Museum since its inception. The most recent renovation was a reconfiguration and modernization of the first floor as well as an upgrade of mechanical systems, gallery lighting, and climate-controlled storage.
The changes to the first floor involved relocating the gift shop, removing walls, and stealing space from storage rooms to make way for a larger, more flexible main gallery. The reception area was updated, streamlined, and engineered to be mobile. Glass doors replace the walls dividing the lobby from the gallery. The entryway was updated with a new glass atrium and signage. An education space for children was created off the lobby out of another storage space.
The new layout allows the lighter, brighter rooms to be easily reconfigured into an event space after hours.
