The new Palmer Museum of Art at Pennsylvania State University gets high marks for its handsome and ample spaces, but its isolated location is a failing, writes Michael J. Lewis for The Wall Street Journal.

The museum relocated from its Postmodern building to an assertively contemporary structure due to the massive growth in its collection. In recent years, the collection ballooned to around 11,000 objects, but only a small number of them could be displayed. For example, none of its African art was on view.

The university decided against enlarging the original building and instead opted for a completely new location to the northwest of the historic campus. Brad Cloepfil and his firm Allied Works, who designed the Clyfford Still Museum in Denver, were commissioned to create a flexible teaching museum with 20 separate galleries and two study rooms.

The new Palmer Museum of Art opened on June 1. It features 73,000 square feet spread across two stories.

And while both its exterior and interior are impressive, the location, sequestered on the periphery of the campus, is a disappointment.

Read more about Penn State’s Palmer Museum of Art in The Wall Street Journal.

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