The Speed Art Museum, originally known as the J.B. Speed Memorial Museum, now colloquially referred to as the Speed by locals, is the oldest and largest art museum in Kentucky. It was established in 1927 in Louisville, Kentucky on Third Street next to the University of Louisville Belknap campus. It receives around 180,000 visits annually. The museum offers visitors a variety of "art experiences" outside its collection and international exhibitions, including the Speed Concert Series, the Art Sparks Interactive Family Gallery, and the late-night event, After Hours at the Speed. The Speed houses ancient, classical, and modern art from around the world. The focus of the collection is Western art, from antiquity to the present day. Holdings of paintings from the Netherlands, France, and Italy are prominent, and contemporary art and sculptures are also featured. History The museum was built in 1927 by Arthur Loomis in the Neo-Classical style. Loomis was already well known in Louisville for landmarks like the Louisville Medical College and Levy Brothers. The original building was designed as an understated Beaux-Arts limestone facade. Hattie Bishop Speed established the museum in memory of her husband James Breckenridge Speed, a prominent Louisville businessman, art collector, and philanthropist. Speed set up the endowment to fund the museum, encouraging the museum to never charge admission. The museum underwent a $60 million expansion and renovation project from September 2012 to March 2016, designed by architect Kulapat Yantrasast of wHY architecture. During the closure, the museum opened Local Speed, a satellite space in Louisville's East Market District (NuLu) for rotating exhibitions, programs, and events. The 62,500-square-foot North Building doubled the overall square footage and nearly tripled the gallery space from the previous wing. The expansion created a space for larger special exhibitions, new contemporary art galleries, a family education welcome center, a 150-seat cinema, indoor/outdoor café, museum shop, and a multi-functional pavilion for performances, lectures and entertainment. Additionally, the new Elizabeth P. and Frederick K. Cressman Art Park and Public Piazza was created for the display of sculptures. Timeline 1927 – The Speed Art Museum is built and receives more than 74,000 visitors in the first year. 1928 – The centenary of Kentucky portrait painter Matthew Harris Jouett is celebrated with an exhibition of his portraits, many owned by prominent Louisvillians. 1933 – The museum is incorporated as a privately endowed institution and its board of governors was established. 1934 – The