Iconic: 20 Years of César Pelli’s MMoCA

Architect César Pelli is renowned for skyline titans such as the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, but when Madison was planning the Overture Center and a redesigned art museum, it asked for something different: Design boldly while weaving in what was already here. His design for MMoCA, dominated by the glass-and-steel “Icon,” the triangular thrust into the State/Henry street corner, is now celebrating 20 years. A retrospective exhibition, “Iconic: 20 Years of César Pelli’s MMoCA,” brings sketches, models, photos, and behind-the-scenes context on how Pelli and local patrons imagined a civic arts campus for Madison.

media release: On April 23, 2006, the doors to the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art opened to the public for the first time. Designed by world-renowned architect César Pelli, the building features a striking glass and steel curtain wall and stairwell known as the Icon. From the outside, its sharp peak rises boldly, reflecting the sky and cityscape. As it descends, the form softens and opens at street level, where expansive glass blurs the line between exterior and interior—connecting the city with the museum.

Over the past twenty years, MMoCA has continued to connect Madison’s communities with the world of contemporary art. This exhibition showcases the vision behind the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art and celebrates the foresight of Jerome W. Frautschi and Pleasant Rowland, whose collaboration with Pelli gave Madison a striking architectural monument that honors the power of art.

César Pelli would tell his students at Yale, “The city is more important than the building.” 

September 24, 2025 – January 4, 2026

Opening Celebration: Friday, December 12 •6–9 PM

Drop-in Tour of Iconic: 20 Years of César Pelli’s MMoCA Saturday, October 18 • 2PM • Thursday, November 20 • 6PM Museum Lobby • Free Admission

No reservations are required for this friendly and informative tour of Iconic: 20 Years of César Pelli’s MMoCA. Meet in the Museum Lobby as your tour leader takes you to Henry Street Gallery to explore the exhibition, and then make your way through the Museum to directly experience Pelli’s creation.