SUMA will replace the Lee Center for the Arts and is set to open in 2028
SEATTLE — Seattle University has released the design for its long-planned Museum of Art, a $60 million project that will house one of the largest private art donations in Seattle history.
The new Seattle University Museum of Art (SUMA) will sit on the school’s First Hill campus and showcase more than 200 works from developer Richard Hedreen’s $300 million art collection — gifted in honor of his late wife, Elizabeth Hedreen, a Seattle University alum. Alongside the art, Hedreen donated $25 million in seed funding to help build the museum.
A Museum Built for Community and Learning
The 22,000-square-foot museum, designed by renowned local firm Olson Kundig, will feature wooden floors, expansive windows, and a focus on natural light and open space. It’s being developed as a “teaching museum”, with studios, theaters, and rehearsal areas to support learning, performance, and public engagement.
“This museum will not only house an extraordinary collection of art but also serve as a welcoming gateway to our campus and a dynamic space for learning, reflection and community engagement,” said Seattle University President Eduardo Peñalver.
Olson Kundig, known for designing the University of Washington’s Burke Museum, is aiming to reflect Seattle University’s Jesuit values in the building’s design.
Opening Timeline and Site Changes
SUMA’s groundbreaking is scheduled for August 2026, with a planned opening in fall 2028. The project will be built by Sellen Construction.
To make way for the museum, Seattle University will demolish the Lee Center for the Arts, a building renovated in 2006 and currently home to many of the university’s theater programs. The Lee Center is located at the corner of 12th Avenue and East Marion Street.
The decision has drawn criticism from some students and faculty, who consider the Lee Center an essential part of campus life, according to The Spectator, Seattle University’s student paper.
Arts Programs to Move to Cornish College Campus
Many of the arts programs currently housed at the Lee Center will move to Cornish College of the Arts’ South Lake Union campus. Seattle University reached a deal earlier this year to merge with Cornish, which is set to close after over a century of operations.
On Thursday, Cornish filed notice with the state of plans to lay off 354 employees by May 31. Seattle University has said it intends to rehire some faculty and staff following the merger.
