JACKSON, Wyo. — The National Museum of Wildlife Art (NMWA) is preparing to move forward with an expansion project that hinged on approval from the Teton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC). The NMWA is located about 3 miles north of Town Square.
On Tuesday, March 3, the BCC voted to amend the museum’s existing planned unit development (PUD) from 1992. The original PUD allowed for a museum and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Elk Refuge facilities, which were anticipated to house the sleigh ride operations. Those facilities were never developed on site and there are no plans for future development, according to the BCC staff report. The approved PUD amendment will increase the maximum amount of habitable square footage on the property by 7,749 — from 55,494 square feet to 63,243 square feet. The proposal also requested adding 27,363 square feet to the existing 233,337 square feet of property development. The proposed 34,513-square-foot expansion will include 11,270 square feet of basement space that will not count toward the overall floor area.
“The proposed addition is needed because it’s a 30-year-old structure that needs upgrades for the collections storage; collections care; an enclosed loading dock for art receiving, so the art is not exposed to the elements; as well as crate storage,” said Susan Johnson, of SJ Planning Solutions, who presented to the BCC on behalf of the NMWA. “Currently, there’s … kind of a mish-mash of storage happening at the museum, and even the IT room in the basement is being used for storage.”
The NMWA said the additional space will also be used for community events, educational programming, arts and culture experiences, gallery space and traveling exhibits. NMWA Executive Director Steve Seamons told the BCC that only about 8% of the museum’s permanent collection is currently on display. He said that, since opening in 1994, the NMWA has seen more than 1 million visitors, and the museum’s collection has doubled from 2,450 to over 5,000 pieces. The proposed expansion will create a 60% increase in exhibition space.
The discussion at the BCC meeting garnered public comments from five community members, with a variety of opinions, perspectives and concerns. The issue of wastewater and sewer management arose numerous times, with the Jackson Hole Conservation Alliance’s Amy Kuszak mentioning the museum’s proximity to Flat Creek — an “already impaired waterway” — in public comment. Phil Powers, Executive Director of Protect Our Waters Jackson Hole, said in his public comment that, as “champions of creativity” in art, it is a good opportunity for the NMWA to explore creative solutions for sewer expansion.
“I don’t quite understand the implications of 1,100 square feet for restroom and catering,” said Commissioner Luther Propst. “I’m trying to get a sense — that expansion of the restroom facilities and the catering indicates that there’s going to be more generation of waste, whether it’s food waste or human. I’m trying to get a better understanding of the implications for wastewater treatment and water quality in this.”
Nelson Engineering’s civil engineer on the project Dave Dufault noted in public comment that the museum estimates a 20% increase in wastewater generation from the expansion, which would keep it under the threshold of what the state permits. He also said that the NMWA’s current wastewater permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality will be up for renewal in 2027, meaning the system will undergo a six-month application process before receiving a new permit. The staff report also mentions that the wastewater disposal system installed in 1993 was designed to accommodate an expansion.
After consideration and discussion about the future with various members on the project team, the BCC voted unanimously to approve the amendments to the museum’s PUD, paving the way for the NMWA’s expansion.
“Thank you to the museum and everybody on their team for the work and service they provide to our community as a cultural and education institution,” Commissioner Natalia Macker concluded. “It’s a privilege to support this, and the way they really blend, from a mission perspective, what our community is all about.”
