RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- It's the same museum people know and love, but pretty soon, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) will have even more to love. Project coordinators recently shared a first look at the "McGlothlin Wing II," the museum's largest expansion project ever. They expect this new design to blur the boundary between the museum's interior and the outside world. VMFA Director and CEO Alex Nyerges said the plan isn't just something his team dreamt up -- it's a culmination of ideas, curiosity and visions from people all across the Commonwealth. "We want to have everybody have the opportunity to experience art and to make our lives better and more fulfilling," Nyerges said. "[McGlothlin Wing II] will have galleries for African art, American art, contemporary art, special exhibitions and then a special event space and another café and bar." At five stories tall and around 173,000 square feet, the $261 million expansion will make the VMFA the U.S.'s fifth-largest art museum once completed. American art will be at the forefront of the new space, but it will also house the country's second-largest exhibition of African art. "Other than the National Museum at the Smithsonian," Nyerges said. 14 years after the museum added its first McGlothlin wing, architects are looking to invoke whimsy and engagement while taking advantage of the area's natural lighting with the second McGlothlin wing. Nyerges is excited for the entire project, but he expressed particular joy over the special exhibit space. "That's going to double our ability to bring shows from around the world to Virginia," Nyerges said. "Contemporary art is going to get five times the space, and we're also going to be able to show our great German expressionism collection like we've never done before." The plan will bring together creativity and culture. Nyerges said he's thrilled to add to the museum's treasured 50,000-piece collection, but the root of the passion comes down to the people as the VMFA looks forward to the unique opportunity to introduce visitors to Richmond and, of course, art. "We will serve more than a million, million and a half, people somewhere outside the Metro Richmond Area," Nyerges said. Thanks to the team's unadulterated zeal and dedication, the VMFA is comparable to exhibits across the country -- even those in the United States' largest cities like Los Angeles and New York City. The museum expects to share the final renderings and hold the site's official groundbreaking in 2025, the new wing is expected to open in 2028. More information on how to support the VMFA can be found on its website.