The Herrick Lobby entrance to the Toledo Museum of Art closed in June 2026, along with the last of the main building's gallery-level spaces. All the galleries in the main museum building are now closed. The museum's own reinstallation page says galleries will reopen in fall 2027.
For the next year, the museum mostly runs out of the Glass Pavilion. This fall the Pavilion has the collection's best-known works, a new immersive show by a Toledo-born artist, free glassblowing five days a week and a steady evening calendar, all in one building and mostly free.
What Closed, and in What Order
The closures came in phases over about 16 months. The museum's reinstallation page lays out the sequence:
- February 2025: the Cloister and temporary exhibition spaces.
- December 2025: the Great Gallery and parts of the West Wing.
- April 2026: Classic Court, the Wolfe galleries, the East Wing galleries and the Sanda Findley Collector's Corner.
- June 2026: the remaining gallery-level spaces, the Herrick Lobby entrance and lobby, and the TMA Café.
TMA's March 2026 announcement of the April phase made April 19 the last public day for Classic Court, the Wolfe and Wolfe Mezzanine, and several numbered galleries. Construction started April 20.
According to the museum, this is the first full reimagining of its galleries in more than 40 years. When the collection returns, it will be hung chronologically to tell a more globally connected story. The work started with a failing HVAC system, which forced staff to take the art down to protect it. The museum is using that opening to upgrade access, comfort and infrastructure in the galleries. Toledo City Paper's May 2025 overview described a multiphase, two-year project that also covers new walls and bathrooms. Campus and sculpture-garden work is planned for later and isn't expected to be done by 2027.
No exact reopening day has been announced. The reinstallation page says fall 2027, and the museum's visit page puts completion in "late 2027."
The Pavilion Is Holding Three Shows at Once
With the main galleries closed, the Glass Pavilion has become the front room. Three of its galleries now have exhibitions running at the same time, and each fills a different gap.
Gallery 6: TMA Forever. This is where the collection went. TMA Forever gathers more than 40 works from the permanent collection, covering more than 2,000 years. It opened September 12 and runs through January 3, 2027. The museum's exhibitions page lists it as free for all. The museum bills it as the chance to see its best-loved works "before the next chapter begins" in fall 2027. If you have a favorite painting at TMA, this gallery is the most likely place to find it until the main building reopens. The museum suggests calling 419-255-8000 to check whether a particular piece is on view.
Gallery 5: Hannah Bowlus: Origin Point. This Community Gallery show includes interactive glass, lighting and furniture works. It opened July 29 and runs through January 3, 2027.
Gallery 4: Losing Ourselves Together: The Art of Bobby Anspach. This show opens Saturday, October 17, and it's the one that needs a little planning.
The Anspach Opening Runs on Timed Tickets
The museum's exhibition page frames the show as a homecoming:
"Losing Ourselves Together brings the visionary work of Toledo-born artist Bobby Anspach home for the first time."
The exhibition centers on three immersive "eye machines," one of them ADA accessible. Sculptures, paintings and works on paper fill out the room. Admission is free, but you need a timed ticket. The visit takes about 24 minutes and is recommended for ages 7 and up. It includes flashing lights, sound and enclosed spaces, and the museum asks visitors to arrive 10 minutes early. The show runs through March 14, 2027, so it stays open more than two months after TMA Forever and Origin Point close.
Members get a preview Friday, October 16, from 4 to 8 p.m. On opening day, the museum is holding two immersive-experience sessions in the Glassalon, 3 to 4:15 p.m. and 6 to 7:15 p.m. Both are free with timed tickets.
How a Week at the Pavilion Works
Admission and visitor parking are both free. Public hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The museum is closed Monday and Tuesday. A few recurring times are worth knowing:
- Hot-shop demonstrations: free, at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and Sunday, plus 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday. The 6 p.m. Saturday demo is the only one scheduled after dinner. The museum notes that maintenance, events and closures can change the schedule.
- Evening docent tours: free docent-led TMA Forever tours in Gallery 6 from 6:15 to 7 p.m. on listed dates, including October 23 and December 19–20.
- It's Friday: once a month, 6 to 8 p.m. in the Glass Pavilion. Entry is free with a cash bar, and some activities cost extra.
- Ask a Docent! Hours: 1 to 2 p.m. on selected Fridays inside TMA Forever.
Outside the Pavilion, the Education Wing, the Bowe Family Center, the Library & Archives and the Georgia and David K. Welles Sculpture Garden are all still open. The TMA Store has moved for now. You'll find it near the Plough entrance in the main building and in Glass Pavilion Gallery 1. The Herrick Lobby is closed, but the other visitor entrances, elevators and restrooms are open. The TMA Café closed in June, so plan to eat before or after your visit.
The Fall Calendar, October Through December
All of these events are in the Glass Pavilion unless noted. They're taken from the museum's events calendar and ticket pages, which can change.
| Date | Event | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu., Oct. 15 | Specialty Glassblowing Demonstration, Hot Shop | 2–3 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | Anspach member preview, Gallery 4 | 4–8 p.m. | Members only |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Anspach immersive experience, Glassalon | 3–4:15 and 6–7:15 p.m. | Free, timed ticket |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Docent-led TMA Forever tour, Gallery 6 | 6:15–7 p.m. | Free |
| Wed., Oct. 28 | Indigenous Peoples Day talk with Holly Wilson, Glassalon | Noon–1 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 6 | It's Friday: Pumpkins and Pastels Still Life Workshop | 6–8 p.m. | $50 nonmembers |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | Specialty Glassblowing Demonstration, Hot Shop | 2–3 p.m. | Free |
| Fri., Nov. 20 | An Evening with Curator Emeritus Lawrence W. Nichols, Glassalon | 6:30–7:30 p.m. | Free |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Veteran's Glassblowing Day, Hot Shops 1 and 2 | 1, 2 and 3 p.m. | Free for veterans and active-duty members |
| Fri., Dec. 4 | It's Friday: TMA Forever Tour, with two drink vouchers | 6–8 p.m. | $30 nonmembers |
| Dec. 19–20 | The Great Glass Art Escape | Schedule pending | Listed as free |
| Dec. 24–25 | Museum closed for the holiday | All day | n/a |
The Nichols evening fits this season well. He's TMA's curator emeritus, and his talk falls in the same year the collection he worked with is being rehung. The ticket pages for the November 6 workshop and the December 4 tour mention a 10 percent member discount, but they show the same price for both ticket types. Members should check the price at checkout.
Why This Fall Is a Short Window
TMA Forever and Origin Point both close January 3, 2027. After that, the Anspach show is the only one of the three that stays open, through March 14. From now until January 3, the Pavilion is the one place in the city to see collection favorites, a homecoming show and a working hot shop under the same roof.
The Pavilion has its own renovation coming. In August 2025, The Blade reported that the Glass Pavilion is slated for structural and technology upgrades in 2028, after the main campus work. The hot shop and glass galleries were expected to stay. In March 2026, 13abc reported that reopening didn't have a set date yet. The museum's newest pages still give a season, fall 2027, and no specific day.
For now, the simplest TMA plan is a Saturday that starts with the 2 p.m. hot-shop demo, goes through Gallery 6 and Gallery 4 on timed tickets, and wraps up before the 8 p.m. close.
Showing guests around Toledo this fall, or settling into a home near the museum? I'm happy to share how I'd plan a visit to the Glass Pavilion with family who are in town. Reach out to Justin Spann. Let's Connect.
