The Boise Art Museum has been a part of Idaho since 1937, when the Boise Art Museum met and decided to build a museum to house the artwork of artists from Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.
Originally known as the Boise Gallery of Art, the Art Deco building was constructed in Julia Davis Park and contained two galleries and an office/lobby area. In its early days, the BGA mostly displayed local art rather than buy or collect.
By the 1960s, the collections and exhibits at the BGA outgrew its space and plans were made to add on to the museum. In 1972, the gallery was moved to temporary location while construction began. In 1973, the 10,000-square-foot addition opened with enlarged galleries and a bigger lobby with a store, vaults, and studios.
In 1986, the BGA went through a second renovation, and in 1988, they were accredited by the American Association of Museums and was renamed the Boise Art Museum (or BAM as it is known to locals).
In 1997, the museum went under a third renovation to increase its size to 34,800 square feet. Today, the BAM is a popular destination for art lovers and tourists looking to see Northwestern artists' work on display and peruse the museum shop.
The BAM is open Tuesdays to Sundays from 10am to 5pm most of the year and closed on Mondays, except when special exhibits are there. The admission to the museum is $8 for adults and $6 for students, children, and students, and there are memberships available that will allow you to go into the museum for free from $35 to $50.