ABSTRACT
A content analysis was performed on newspaper and magazine articles in the popular press. From the 100 articles analyzed, 28 focused on additions to the Met, 33 on additions the Art Institute of Chicago, 28 on additions to the Nelson-Atkins, and 11 on the Phoenix Art Museum additions. Money usually makes news headlines and museum additions are enormously expensive. Results of the content analysis revealed how conversations on the style, aesthetics, and building materials or finishes under "Architecture" had a clear lead on other categories. An analysis of visitors' reviews on online review websites of the four museum case studies gave further insight into their perceptions and experiences about the new building additions. In their reviews on TripAdvisor and Yelp, visitors appreciated museums' extensive art collections and that these were made available for the public. But they expressed a strong desire for friendly, comfortable museum environments to make for an optimal experience.
