Boise Art Museum facts for kids
Entrance of BAM in 2016
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| Established | 1937 |
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| Location | 670 Julia Davis Drive Boise, Idaho |
| Type | Art museum |
| Collection size | 3,500 works |
| Boise Art Museum | |
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| Former names | Boise Gallery of Art |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Art Deco, Egyptian Revival, Postmodern |
| Construction started | February 24th, 1934 |
| Completed | 1937 |
| Renovated | 1972, 1988, 1997 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Tourtellotte & Hummel (1937); Trout Architects and Mark Mack (1988); CSHQA (1997) |
The Boise Art Museum (BAM) is a cool place to see art in Boise, Idaho. It's located at 670 Julia Davis Drive, right in Julia Davis Park. This park is home to many fun museums and cultural spots.
BAM has a growing collection of art. You can see modern art, cool ceramics (art made from clay), and works by a famous Idaho artist named James Charles Castle. He was an "outsider artist," meaning he learned art on his own. The museum also brings in exciting traveling art shows all year long.
The museum first opened in 1937. It was called the Boise Gallery of Art back then. It started with help from the Boise Art Association, the City of Boise, and a government program called the Federal Works Progress Administration. This made it a place for people in Boise to enjoy local art, traveling exhibits, and loaned artwork.
The original building had a special look, mixing Art Deco and Egyptian Revival styles. It was updated in 1972 and again in 1988. That's when its name changed to the Boise Art Museum. After this, the museum started focusing more on building its own art collection and offering art classes. In 1997, the museum grew even more. It added bigger offices, storage areas, a sculpture garden, and art studios.
Today, the Boise Art Museum is the only museum in Idaho that collects fine art and is approved by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM). This means it meets high standards for museums. It's a key place for fine arts in the Treasure Valley area.
Contents
What Art Does BAM Have?
Early Art (1934–1988)
The Boise Art Association started collecting art even before the museum building was finished in 1934. One of the first artworks they bought was a painting by Harvey Gregory Pruscheck for $100. Another early gift was Mustard Field by Fanny Dike Burns. By 1955, the small collection included works by many artists like Helen Aupperle and Walt Disney.
In the 1960s, people became more interested in growing the art collection. The museum hired its first professional staff. A big gift came in 1963 from Robert V. Hansberger. He donated six oil paintings. In 1967, the museum got a unique sculpture called Silvertone 17 Inch Portable Television by Edward Kienholz. The museum's director at the time, Joseph Stewart, said the artwork made people think about how much time they spent watching TV.
By 1969, the Boise Junior League had given six artworks to the museum. These included Primaevus by Jimmie Faulkner. Also, Louise Odencrantz from New York donated over 100 dolls from different cultures. Kids were even allowed to play with the dolls during an exhibit!
The museum kept wanting a high-quality collection in the 1970s and 80s. They wanted art that showed past exhibits and supported Idaho artists. In 1979, they received money to buy art by Idaho artists. They bought works by Boyd Wright and David Wharton. In 1980, the museum received donations from important art groups and the family of artist Reginald Marsh.
Art Since 1988
The Boise Art Museum really started building its permanent collection in 1988. Sandy Harthorn, the curator, helped grow the collection from 1,200 artworks in 1991 to 3,500 by 2015. She explained that changing the name from "Gallery" to "Museum" meant they would focus on keeping a permanent collection.
The museum mainly collects 20th-century realistic art and ceramics. These pieces are often by American, Northwest, and Idaho artists. However, the collection also has art from across the United States, Europe, and East Asia. Many artworks have been donated by artists, galleries, and collectors.
In 2000, the museum received 23 modern realistic artworks from Peter and Eileen Norton. This was part of a huge gift of over 1,000 artworks they gave to 29 museums. These works included art by famous artists like Robert Rauschenberg and Robert Arneson. They fit well with other American realistic art already in the collection.
In 2002, Wilfred Davis Fletcher donated 117 artworks. This was a very valuable gift, worth over $1 million. Most of these were modern abstract artworks. They added a new style to the museum's collection of realistic art.
Museum Building and Design
The last big addition to the museum happened in 1997-1998. A local architecture company, CSHQA, managed this project. They added a special sculpture court and a beautiful sculpture garden behind the building. This addition made the museum much larger, adding 13,800 square feet. The museum now has a total of 34,800 square feet!
How It All Started
The Boise Art Association was created on October 8, 1931. More than 50 people attended the first meeting. Their goal was to help people in Boise and Idaho appreciate fine arts. They also wanted to collect artworks and create a suitable place to show them. This dream eventually led to the creation of the Boise Art Museum.
See also
