The Gund

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About the Building

Named for 1963 Kenyon alumnus Graham Gund, a noted architect, philanthropist, and collector, The Gund is a dynamic, 31,000-square-foot space dedicated to expanding ways of seeing and learning. Its spaces enhance the College’s liberal arts curriculum through provocative exhibitions and the collaborative educational opportunities and cultural conversations they enable. The Gund houses a 6,100-square-foot flexible main exhibition space—the Buchwald-Wright Gallery—lit by north-facing skylights with controllable louvers; the 136-seat Community Foundation Theater; the Edric seminar classroom and the Kresge traditional classroom; and the Meier/Draudt Curatorial Classroom for the close study of artwork. It also provides museum-dedicated preparation and storage spaces as well as offices and a visual resource center for Kenyon’s Department of Art History. Opened in 2011, the Gund Gallery is part of a larger campus initiative to expand access to art and visual culture for the College’s student body, faculty, and staff along with the surrounding community.

Located on Kenyon College’s Middle Path, a footpath and gathering space that connects our campus, The Gund is a hub of interdisciplinary exploration and cultural engagement. The exterior of The Gund Gallery building is clad in locally quarried sandstone and zinc paneling—materials seen on neighboring campus buildings old and new. Framed by a canopy of old-growth trees, the Fischman Lobby is a breathtaking glass entry point, drawing in visitors from all over the country to experience major public works of art, including Aristide Maillol's La Montagne and Kiki Smith's Her in addition to frequent temporary installations. Our LEED Silver-certified building utilizes sophisticated climate controls to maintain our professional museum facilities and a geothermal system for heating and cooling. The Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), with the American Institute of Architects Committee on Architecture for Education (AIA-CAE), honored the Gund Gallery with a 2013 Excellence in Architecture Merit Award.

An interior view of the Fischman Lobby of Gund Gallery from above with Caroline Monnet's installation piece on the glass walls.
A exterior view of the Gund Gallery building situated in between two trees.
The interior of the Fischman Lobby of Gund Gallery with several people sitting in the seating area and standing on the stair landing.
A wide angle view of the exterior of the Gund Gallery with part of Chalmers Library visible.

One Minute in The Gund