The company behind the new Arte Museum planned for Orlando’s ICON Park expects to break ground in August for an anticipated grand opening late next year.
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The 30,000-square-foot immersive art experience along Universal Boulevard will be South Korean company d’strict’s third U.S. location — museums in Las Vegas opened in 2023 followed by New York City in September. The first Arte Museum opened in South Korea in 2020 then expanded across Asia — adding locations in China, Hong Kong and Dubai.
Jane Park, a spokesperson for the digital design company, told Growthspotter the Orlando museum will include unique works and designs, with all exhibits built around the same theme: Eternal Nature. The museum reinterprets and displays nature’s many landscapes, spaces and elements as an immersive art experience, she said.
“Every Arte Museum features distinct content that reflects the unique natural landscapes and cultural sentiments of its host city,” Park said.
The Las Vegas museum, for instance, features a “Garden Lights of Las Vegas” exhibit, which blends natural themes with certain iconic symbols of the city. The New York location has a “Garden New York is Art” exhibit that visualizes the Statue of Liberty and the city’s iconic skyline.
Park said the Orlando museum will incorporate the region’s iconic natural elements and symbols into the artworks.
“In particular, our ‘Garden’ zone will visually reinterpret Orlando’s culture and landmarks, capturing the distinctive atmosphere and beauty of the local area,” she said.
Arte Orlando will be a space where visitors can do more than just view art — they will feel as though they are physically walking through nature, she said. The museum aims to deliver not only a unique visual experience but also lasting sensory memories, she said.
“The blooming of flowers, the movement of waves and waterfalls, combined with light, sound and fragrance, will offer a sensory journey that seamlessly blurs the line between reality and the virtual world,” Park said. “Furthermore, we hope it becomes a space where families, friends and couples can comfortably spend time together, stepping away from daily routines to rest and share emotions.
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She said rather than presenting complex or difficult art, Arte aims to provide an experience that anyone can intuitively enjoy and connect with. The space is curated so visitors don’t just observe the artworks, but actively engage with them, becoming part of the exhibition itself, she said.
In addition to the exhibits, each museum location features Arte Cafe, which offers drinks and desserts in a space that is accompanied by immersive media art.
A final engineering plan for museum site was submitted earlier this month to the county by McIntosh Associates in Orlando on behalf of ID Center LLC, an entity tied to Flag Luxury Group of New York City, Torino Companies of Las Vegas and Unicorp National Developments of Orlando. ICON Park is owned by a partnership of the three companies.
The two-story museum is shown in plans on the north side of 2.7 acres of land that’s currently a parking lot at the northeast corner of 20-acre ICON Park. Plans call for a 424-space addition to the existing parking garage on the northern end of the property.
Plans show three retail/commercial footprints on the south side of the museum for future development, with spaces ranging from 7,323 to 9,687 square feet. A one-story retail commercial space is planned on the west side of the museum.
Other firms involved in the project are architect Huitt-Zollars of Orlando, Intertek PSI of Orlando for geotechnical work and Dale & Company of Orlando for landscaping.
Brian Bell can be reached at [email protected]. Have a tip about Central Florida development? Email [email protected]. Follow GrowthSpotter on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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