Bechtler Museum of Modern Art

420 South Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC 28202

Bessie and Hans Bechtler began collecting modern art in Zurich in the 1950s, and did it the way people did before the art market industrialised: by knowing the artists. The collection that resulted runs to nearly two thousand works and includes Picasso, Warhol, Giacometti and Calder. Their son Andreas Bechtler, who lives in Charlotte, gave the family's portion of it to the city, and the museum opened in 2010 to hold it.

The building is by the Swiss architect Mario Botta — a serious piece of architecture in its own right, and the reason the museum is worth a look from the outside even if you never go in.

What you will actually see

The collection is shown through changing exhibitions rather than as a fixed hang, which means what is on the walls depends on when you visit. Check before you come if there is something specific you want to see.

Where it sits

The Bechtler is part of the Levine Center for the Arts cluster on South Tryon Street, which also holds Mint Museum Uptown at 500 South Tryon, the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Arts + Culture at 551 South Tryon, and the Knight Theater. All four are within a few minutes' walk of each other, which makes this the single most efficient cultural stop in the city.

The museum publishes an accessibility page and a tours page.

Current hours, admission and exhibitions are on the museum's own site.

Last checked: 13 September 2026.