The Guggenheim is one of the few things in New York showing her age. The 1959 Frank Llyod Wright designed building has been plagued with cracks almost since it opened in 1959 because of its lack of expansion joints that would allow it to weather the city's fluctuating temperatures a little better.
In 2005 the museum started a major restoration of the building’s famed exterior. Some 12 layers of paint applied over the past 46 years were removed to allow for close analysis of the building’s surface. Detailed monitoring of the movement of selected cracks over an entire year, laser surveys, and other studies have been used by the restoration team to formulate an appropriate course of action to repair the cracks. The repair and repainting is expected to be completed by the end of 2007.
The New York Times has a great illustrated piece about the restoration with detailed looks at the wrinkles discovered on the building's exterior. The piece also announces a new exhibit at the Guggenheim, Restoring a Masterpiece, which chronicles the work the crack team has done in devising a plan for its restoration through photographs, drawings, and videos. The show is up until July 8th.
