Opened in November 2024, the Museum of Art + Light is Manhattan’s latest investment in local arts and culture. Co-founded by longtime art collectors Tracey and Robert DeBruyn, Ronald Bowman, and Stanley E. Zukowfsky, who saw an opportunity to share their extensive collections, it integrates digital and immersive art into the traditional museum experience. “We didn’t want to be like any other museum,” says Erin Dragotto, the museum’s executive director, who brings 20 years of experience in the field. “We are the first museum to truly combine immersive, digital, and fine art under one roof.”
The museum’s impact on Manhattan extends far beyond its walls. With an initial $24 million investment and a continuing effort to raise $20 million for its endowment, the museum reflects both a public and private investment in the arts. “Manhattan has a lot to offer, but we have to think about what keeps people here,” Erin explains. “The job might bring them, but arts and culture make them stay.”
Art’s economic impact is undeniable. According to the American Alliance of Museums, cultural travelers spend 60% more than leisure travelers. The Museum of Art + Light is already contributing to this trend. “We’ve noticed visitors coming in from Kansas City and beyond—people who might not have stopped in Manhattan otherwise,” Erin says. “When they come, they’re dining at our restaurants, staying in our hotels, and engaging with the community.”
Spanning 21,000 square feet across two spaces, the museum’s design is striking. The immersive space features 38-foot ceilings, repurposing an old Sears & Roebuck building with curved walls designed for digital projection. “We sourced over 300 high-resolution images from museums worldwide and created an original immersive experience,” Erin shares. “This isn’t a copy-and-paste exhibit. It’s a bespoke experience.”
The museum also pays tribute to classical art while embracing emerging digital work. “You’ll see Renoir in the fine arts space, but also in the immersive gallery,” Erin says. “It’s a way of demonstrating that digital artists today stand on the shoulders of past masters.”
The museum’s immersive galleries are powered by 108 high-end Epson projectors, creating a stunning digital landscape. “We modeled ourselves after the Atelier des Lumières in Paris,” Erin explains. “We wanted to push the boundaries of what an art museum could be in the 21st century.”
Beyond its impressive exhibits, the museum is committed to supporting new and local artists. “We’re working with emerging artists to explore what’s happening in digital code and immersive media,” Erin says. “We want to elevate the voices of new talent alongside established names.”
The founders’ collection, which includes works by Picasso, Chagall, and Miro, coexists with contemporary and digital artists in a way that challenges the traditional boundaries of museum curation.
The museum has exciting new exhibitions on the horizon. A major upcoming feature includes a dual exhibit with Dean Mitchell, a fine art painter, and Des Lucrece, a digital artist. “On the surface, their work seems very different,” Erin explains, “but their backstories share striking similarities. This exhibit will tell a deeply personal story through both their art forms.” Another upcoming highlight is Crafting Sanctuaries, an exhibition in partnership with the Art Bridges Foundation, exploring the Black migration of the South through artistic storytelling.
For those eager to visit, the museum offers an immersive experience unlike any other in the Midwest. As the museum continues to grow, it shows the power of investment in the arts. “This is just the beginning,” Erin says. “We’re redefining what a museum can be, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us.”
“This isn’t a copy-and-paste exhibit. It’s a bespoke experience.”