“U.S. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Representative Norm Dicks have announced $1 million in federal funding to be allocated for a new Tacoma Art Museum. The funding was included as part of an appropriations bill for the Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development departments.“This is an incredible commitment on a national level to help us realize the community’s vision for a new Tacoma Art Museum,” said Janeanne A. Upp, Tacoma Art Museum’s executive director.TAM is conducting a capital campaign to raise $25 million for the new facility. The campaign has raised over $17 million so far, and the announcement of $1 million in federal funding puts the campaign at over $18 million.“The construction of the new museum is a critical component to the ongoing revitalization of downtown Tacoma,” Murray said.The federal funding was secured in a conference committee and was expected to be approved by the Senate and signed by President Clinton this week.The internationally acclaimed architect, Antoine Predock, will design the Museum’s new 50,000 square-foot facility. The building is scheduled to break ground in the fall of 2000 and will be open to the public in 2003.TAM also recently announced Predock’s commitment to design a public park in downtown Tacoma across from the new museum on Pacific Avenue. This design is a gift from the museum to the City of Tacoma in appreciation for their instrumental support, giving $2.6 million plus city-owned land for the new museum.”