Boise Art Museum and Art In the Park

If you've never gone to a museum, you probably are thinking of paintings, many old things. You might even think they are boring. If these are your thoughts toward museums, you haven't experienced the Boise Art Museum.

The Boise Art Museum has been a part of the city for the good part of a century. It all began back in 1931 when a group of Boise-- and other resident Treasure Valley-- art enthusiasts got together. They met in the Boise Hotel and began thinking that Boise needed more art influence. These people became the Boise Art Association.

It wasn't until 1937 that the Boise Art Musuem was finally built with the help of the Boise Art Association and the City of Boise. The location for Boise's first art museum was to be Julia Davis Park (downtown Boise). With it's central location, it was in a stop where Treasure Valley residents could get to easily.

In the early years of the museum, its exhibits were geared mainly toward local artists from the northwest region. With it's new museum, the City of Boise grew stronger culturally. There was now a physical place in the Treasure Valley for the appreciation of the arts.

From then on the Boise Art Museum has grown exponentially in size and in its collections. The building, and it's collections, have been expanded several times-- some of these expansions costing millions of dollars. Yet, it isn't the just the museum's collections, its building or its prestige that has grown, it's influence and credibility has also grown. In recent years, the Boise Art Museum has been accredited by the American Art Association, a rare certification that only a handful of museums receive. Being accredited means that the Boise Art Museum is recognized as a proper museum with all the appropriate standards of a museum.

As far as its influence is concerned, the Boise Art Museum has a long reaching arm of influence in the valley. But what kind of influence would a museum have? The Boise Art Museum has a specific purpose, something that they accomplish in their operations: "The mission of the Boise Art Museum is to create visual arts experiences, engage people, and inspire learning through exceptional exhibitions, collections, and educational opportunities." Now, there are many ways that the museum staff and association go about inspiring and engaging the public, besides just having open exhibits.

There are many events put on by the museum, some of them are themed to the exhibits that will be passing through the museum. An upcoming one has a horror/vampire-werewolf theme. There will also be a classic silent horror film being shown at the museum. The film is called: Nosferatu, a Symphony of Horrors. Nosferatu is a 1920's adaptation of Dracula by Bram Stoker. Admission is ten to fifteen dollars a person.

Also in line with this theme is the "Love Bites" dinner. This dining event is held on Valentines Day, putting a blood-chilling spin on the usual romantic holiday. Furnished like a victorian dinner party, the "Love Bites" dinner is sure to be a fun Valentines Day outing.

However, the museum also has annual events. The most famous among residents of the Treasure Valley is Art In the Park.

Art In the Park is a fair-like event held every summer in Julia Davis Park, close to the museum. Many different vendors from around the United States come to the Art In the Park for one reason-- show off their art. You can buy, trade and barter your way around the diverse booths. Some of the vendors make different jewelry items, some sell musical instruments (like didgeridoos, drums and etc.), and some make mouth-watering sweets and treats. The Art In the Park fair is inspiring; it exposes attendees to all sorts of cultures and learning experiences, fulfilling the Boise Art Museum's mission.

The Boise Art Museum is a great aspect of downtown Boise, as well as the Treasure Valley. The museum has done many great things for this community and continues to do so. You can go there and be entertained, enlightened, and amazed by movies, painting, potter, music and food. It truly is a fantastic organization for the good of Idaho.

If you thought that museums were boring, have you changed your mind? If you have, go down the Boise Art Museum and see what they have to offer. If you still think it's boring, you should follow that same prescription, you might be surprised what you'll find. A note about homes: the North End--just north of downtown Boise and the Boise Art Musuem--is home to many individuals who love living near all the cultural attractions. An additional source of information on the North End can be found at BuyBoiseRealEstate.com/boise-real-estate.php. It can be a great way to make art a way of life. Those living a little farther away can have just as much opportunity to take in the arts with a short drive from wherever they are in the valley.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosferatu

http://boiseartmuseum.org/aboutus/history.php

http://boiseartmuseum.org/exhibit/pc.php

http://boiseartmuseum.org/exhibit/acquisitions.php

http://boiseartmuseum.org/exhibit/current.php