The Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, grew from Kay and Velma Kimbell’s collecting ambitions and the Kimbell Art Foundation they established in 1935 to create a first-rate art institution rather than a large one. After Kay’s death and Velma’s bequest, founding director Richard Fargo Brown guided the creation of a museum building by Louis I. Kahn, opened in 1972 and acclaimed internationally for its masterful use of natural light and serene proportions. The museum has remained committed to excellence over size, with about 350 works, a major research library, and lasting significance for its rare union of architectural distinction and artistic strength.