The Boise Art Museum is small, but has some great art. The people working there were very knowledgeable - they knew not only their permanent collection, but their special exhibits, too. We were fortunately enough to see an exhibition of Jeffrey Gibson's art. It was very colorful and modern, across multiple medias. We really enjoyed seeing his work. While the museum gets mixed reviews, we found it very nice and it was a highlight of our visit to Boise. read more

I don't get abstract art. So when I saw the art museum had a Rothko that's probably worth 30 million dollars I wanted to see if it made sense up close. Dear reader it did not. There was an exhibit of Jeffrey Gibson mixed media pieces and some were cool, others just looked like painted shirts to me not gonna lie. The museum is pretty small as well you'll be in and out in 30 mins so plan accordingly read more

I love love love a few of their exhibits and wouldn't miss the rest. It's only $9 so totally worth checking out, especially bc parking is free. I don't love the no photography rule. But I did like that I saw the entire space in less than an hour. Worth it! read more

Disappointed on the size and the very limited displays. Maybe the next installations will be more inspiring and interesting. Sad really.

As soon as we walked in we were told no photos and I was told I needed to hug my purse to my front so I didn't destroy any art work. We were told not to get within 18 inches of any of the art work or an alarm would sound- fair enough... we set off the alarms twice for going within 3-4 feet. They went off on my husband as he was standing looking at one of the few paintings. So of course the docent, who was following us from exhibit to exhibit, came running to make sure he wasn't destroying anything even though he wasn't anywhere near the painting. Then I finished looking at a piece which I was standing 3-4 feet from and the alarm went off on me. When I asked the docent why alarms were sounding when patrons were not anywhere close to the pieces she just shrugged and told me the alarms were sensitive. We've been to museums all over the world and have never been trailed by docents or made to feel like we were liabilities the second we walked through the door. I was laughing with my hubby that I was surprised when they didn't follow us to the bathroom to make sure we didn't touch anything. All the weird rules and staff making us feel like guilty kids would have been fine if there was anything worth looking at in the museum- but it was an art museum almost completely devoid of art...a couple galleries of an artist sharing his lived experience of white people not understanding his culture. He did have a few statues that merged stones and beading which were thought provoking . A couple galleries of photos that looked like a Calvin Kline ad. A couple of galleries of vases (some neat!) And maybe 6 paintings and a couple prints. So...even though it's only a $9 admission, skip the museum: Go buy coffee and walk the river instead. read more

This was my first and last visit to this museum. I love art and was excited to see the exhibits for the first time. When I walked in the staff treated my husband and me like criminals. Asking me not to eat a mento that I had just put in my mouth. Told me no photos or touching the artwork and remind me of the alarms if I got within 18 inches. Lots of not to dos. As if two grown adults didn't know how to conduct ourselves in a museum. Then the entire place except maybe 2 rooms were filled with woke political art. When I finally got to a room with actual paintings of interest an alarm went off while I was a good 4 feet from the art work. There were about 16 galleries and 14 were all from the same woke artist spewing political Propaganda. After the third one we skipped the rooms and headed to the others. There was about 2 pieces of art in each room so the entire experience took us 10 minutes. I've never felt so ripped off. Afterwards we walked to the Idaho state museum and had a delightful time for much less cost. I am a big art buff but I never see myself ever going back to BAM. Terrible exhibits, rudest people on the planet. read more

The art exhibit is about an indigenous person not feeling accepted by white people. So if you aren't into that type of thing it feels pretty disappointing. Just a heads up. You can't take photos or get close to art or bring a pen. I paid $9 to walk through a few rooms with 3-4 pieces of art in each. Pretty disappointing. It seems they could partner with Boise state art department to provide a better variety of curated pieces. I'd love to see this museum improve! More variety of art, please! read more

An unfortunate visit to Boise's little art museum. The no photography rule was baffling when most museums around the world tolerate picture taking without a flash. I've only encountered that rule at privately owned galleries. The woman at the entrance treats every patron like he/she has never visited a museum. The lone guard was certainly annoying. Most of the exhibits lacked descriptions on the walls. Some text was available in folders but the guard became incensed when visitors would try to view the art with the folder in hand. Apparently too close to the art for her comfort. First Thursday of the month is free so at least I got my money's worth. read more

I had high hopes for my visit to the Boise Art Museum, however it was a horrible disappointment from the moment I walked in the door. The admissions girl was incredibly rude and condescending, and when I asked another staff member about one of the exhibits, she also gave me a rude response stating that she didn't know anything about the art and that I "shouldn't have come there" as apparently the staff isn't equipped to answer any questions about the artwork or the artists featured in the exhibits. I've been to art museums all around the world including the Louvre in Paris, and you're allowed to take non-flash photography. Not sure why this museum thinks it's so special that its patrons can't capture their experiences in photos and share them with others which would in turn encourage further patronage. Biggest disappointment in Boise...don't waste your time. read more

Last week, after sooo long, I finally made it the Boise Art Museum. First time ever going there and probably...my last. Ok, art museums have always been one of my favorite places to go and will always be one of my favorites. This place was such a let down. I get it, Boise is small, the museum will be small and yada yada yada. Boise is one of the fastest growing cities in America (unfortunately). All my years here, they have yet to bring in an exhibit that makes people rush to them. If they brought in any exhibit, best believe it had a political message. Giving this place 2 stars was being generous. I gave it 2 instead of 1 because Boise is still considered a small city and apparently people aren't supposed to expect much from a small city's art museum. The place is super small. I accidentally walked into the History Museum. Friend was visiting from NY. I'm now wish we would have gone there. As mentioned, the place is very small. That's fine. The majority of the art is art from the past 30 years. There are no true pieces of art..well, the kind people want to see when they go to an art museum. Instead, this place is full of political leaning pieces and one side of politics. If you've been, you know exactly what I'm talking about. I don't want to go to an art museum to see it completely full of political pieces pushing one sides agenda. I really don't want to see any political pieces. Ok ok, maybe a piece here and there, but this place has a theme going on and the director knew what he or she was doing. Imo, it's not a good look for a place that's supposed to celebrate art vs this place that wants everyone to know that...the person in charge of the place is this in their political stance and you'll accept it no matter what. Honestly, I'm surprised that whoever is in charge of this place is still in charge of it. I mean, TRY to get an exhibit here that people want to see...you know...actual art. Don't get me wrong, there were a few pieces that were really cool, but just a few in an art museum!!!? What? The whole place should be filled with pieces that inspire us! Not make us feel like...ugh, more politics shoved down our throats. We escape all of that when we go to places like this...or so we thought. If I'm being totally honest here, politics to me..right or left is a fn BORRRRRE! I hate them! At one time I loved them and followed them religiously to stay in the know. These past several years have completely burned me out on them. Then, I go to an art museum and what do I see..... (puke) more political crap. It is what it is, I suppose. I just wish these people on either side of the aisle would realize that not all of us want to see this crap. It's exhausting and BEYOND played out. I will say something nice now. The man at the front counter who sold us our tickets...$6 to get in. Trust me, anymore than that and you'll want your $ back. Sorry, off topic there, the man at the counter was the nicest guy. Super friendly, smiley and you can tell he's just a pleasant person to be around. The place is super clean. Thank God for that. Then again, have you ever been to an art museum that was a dump? Lol I guess that's it. I wish my review would have been better. I had high hopes for this place. I just think if they got pieces in that aren't from like 1990 and aren't some kind of current events message...the reviews for this place would be better. Ok, that's it. Sorry I didn't have something better to say about this museum. Hopefully one day, I can come back and write a new review for this place after they get like an Ansel Adams exhibit or something magical like that. Thanks, YelperArters! Cheers read more

See all

My daughter had a free pass for the Boise art museum. We decided to go. It was a nice experience. They had accessible ramps all around, so it was nice that my daughter was able to explore and see the art. The mini gift shop was not a place for a wheelchair my daughter almost took the glass fixture with the earrings and necklace with her she accidentally bumped into it. Other than that, it was a nice experience and something new to see. read more

See all

Some great exhibits roll through periodically, but the museum staff are like robots or zombies. Are they human? Can they smile? Blink 3 times if you need help? What's in the water there? read more

BAM is small but well curated. Given its size, I think it's overpriced. Unlike many other modern art museums I've visited around the world, they don't allow you to take pictures (except for one large space towards the back of the museum). When I inquired why, I was told that one artist's work was copyrighted and, therefore, it was easier to prohibit photography altogether. One of the things I enjoy doing when I go to art museums is taking pictures to inspire my own artwork. BAM's policy of no photography, severely limited my enjoyment. read more

I have disliked this museum for years but I hoped that, after a long absence, I would find a reason to change my mind. Let's begin with their photography policy. It's banned. Well, there was a limited and temporary reprieve. They encouraged visitors to take a photo of Jae Yong Kim's 'Donut Ever Forget Me,' a ceramic wall sculpture of a lot of donuts. It's a fun piece and the museum wanted visitors to share it on social media. Do you want to take a photo of anything else? You can't. From their website: 'Photography of any kind is not allowed in the Museum. Please put away your camera and silence your cell phone.' The spirit of finger-wagging and condescension is palpable. Keep in mind that, at this point, almost all art museums in North America want visitors to take non-flash photos (minus the selfie sticks, of course). They want the publicity and it fosters more engagement with the art itself. Not here. The Sarah Sense and Stephanie Wilde exhibitions are beautiful for their layers of intricacy. I encourage you to check them out. Since you can't take photos, are there any books in the gift shop on these artists? At the time of my recent visit, no. The persons working in the shop had no information. That's incredibly frustrating. Finally, the gallery spaces are poorly lighted and poorly organized with a lot of wasted display space. The Sense and Wild pieces on display would have benefited from a much brighter environment to see the details in their works. Boise is a fast-growing and increasingly diverse city. I don't understand why this institution hasn't kept up with how other art museums operate in the 21st century. read more

See all

Such a cool little museum! It was definitely small, it only took like 45 minutes to go through but I really enjoyed it. Staff was very nice and helpful. You can't take photos of art (except for the one I have included in this review) and can't bring water in. read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

My husband and I were visiting Boise from Phoenix this weekend and after spending most of our day doing outdoor activities in the 100 degree heat we were needed some AC. The art museum was the perfect place for that! It was a small museum but there is a lot of cool art in here. We liked wall that you could paint on with water and had a lot of fun with that. Liked the food related art too. Glad we visited here! read more

Fantastic place for the entire family. Staff was very helpful. Will definitely go there again.

Not family friendly. Was told upon entering not to touch the art so we made sure our children understood not to touch the art. To which they never touched any of it. Not once. Then we were told by the manager "and don't touch the walls either." My family was then followed from room to room and glared at. Our kids whispered to us, "Why are they following us. This is awkward." We explained that they're making sure we don't touch anything. When we finally confronted the manager following us and asked if it's necessary she follow us she responded, "I'm just making my rounds." We replied that we are the only family she is following. She then changed her tone and responded, "Well your kids are getting very close to the art." Apparently "don't touch" also meant don't get close to examine the art like every other human who enjoys art. At this point we decided to just leave. The clerk at the front desk responded to our complaint by saying, "Sorry, it's our policy to follow large groups." We're one family first and not just any "large group." Again, our children never touched anything as instructed. We feel most for our 9 year old aspiring artist who wanted to leave because of being followed. We never even had the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the art because we were all uncomfortable with being the only people being followed and glared at. My suggestion for this place with poor business practice and lower intellect management? Be welcoming and encouraging to children who are interested in art. They're your future artists and patrons after all. If a large family enters your establishment and the size makes you uncomfortable, kindly with a smile offer a "guided tour" so that you can "help the children get the most out of the art and even help mom and dad keep them together!" See how that differs from your current approach? With my suggestion you can make sure they don't touch your art but also seem like a person who cares about the people you're serving. read more

Boise Art Museum - BAM front entrance - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I love a good museum. This is the first time going to the Boise Art Museum and it was very clean and organized. I'm not sure if the Museum is always so liberal. I just wanted to see some beautiful artwork and not be bombarded by all the Social Justice stuff we see everywhere now days...if your into that you would enjoy the Museum. read more

Went to escape for a couple hours and meander through a good museum and gaze at some fine local art. Instead I paid to go walk through an overtly politically and racially charged assortment of art. The wall plaques didn't discuss technique or mediums as much as they did racial and political info. This isn't to diminish the creativity and talent of some of the artists' work; there were some beautiful pieces. When it comes down to it .... I get it; politics is often portrayed in art. Yes. Their exploitation of it and overuse, however, was aggressively ridiculous. Boise Politics Museum read more

I had a free day in Boise and was told that the BAM had a doughnut exhibit. Food and art, peaked my interest. I am really glad I came. The doughnuts were ceramic and covered a whole wall. Each one had been hand paint and were really neat. The rest of the museum focuses on local/regional artists. I have a personal appreciation for glas pieces and there were several. Great place for the afternoon and there are other places close by and the river to walk along as well. read more

A Boise institution that deserves a visit! Affectionately known as BAM, the museum nestled in Julia Davis Park is a great stop on a tour of Boise. Whether you're a local or a visitor, the art installations are always different and thought-provoking. I just checked out the Adonna Khare exhibit and was blown away by her talent. There have been several really wonderful shows that have made me wish I had visual artistic skill over the years. On the small side for a museum, but I prefer BAM over places you must devote hours upon hours exploring. It's just enough art to engage without making your eyes cross. Plus, they have a quaint museum shop with a lot of great local and national artsy findings! read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

How can you not like an Art museum who's nickname is BAM? That's the nickname of the Boise Art Museum centrally located near Julia Davis Park. BAM is a small art museum but still manages to get some interesting and worthwhile exhibits. The most recent exhibit is Nick Cave's soundsuits. The exhibit began in mid May 2012 and ends in November 2012. The soundsuits are made of various cast off articles and transform into statuesque art objects as well as at time the artist will wear them at various exhibitions. They also had a small area dedicated to Asian art work as well. That was very nicely done too. I found out there was no photography in the museum which is too bad because they have very beautiful items. It was nice to wander to stroll around and take in the sights. If I had anything bad to say about this place would be the hovering of the young men who worked at the museum. They dogged our every step (bored? it was a weekday morning?). At one point admonished the YS not to touch when he was not about to touch an item. As luck would have it though, he couldn't hear them so the remark went unnoticed by him and I looked at them quizzically. The gift shop had a variety of items and there were fairly reasonably priced so that is definitely a must stop when inside the museum. They have a fairly eclectic selection of items ranging from toys, glassware, books, and jewelry. I would be back to check it out again they have a nice set up here and while small worth the trip. Admission for adults was only $5 a piece. read more

Boise Art Museum - An example of a Nick Cave soundsuit taken from the internet since photography is not allowed in the museum. - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I love our local Art Museum! The current donut exhibit done by a Korean artist is something you must see you... can't help but smiling as you look at the ceramic Donuts! I also love that they open the museum to the community for first Thursday from 10 to 8 at night. That is wonderful and amazing. We are so lucky to have this little gem in our city read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

I love art of all kinds and really wanted to enjoy a visit to BAM. I hadn't been in years and hoped the museum had gotten better. There was supposed to be an exhibit on Impressionism so I thought I would check it out. Boy was I glad I didn't spend more than $6 on the entry fee. There were only 3 paintings and a video on Impressionism. We were literally ready to leave after 15 minutes. There was just so little to see it was painful. Most of what is there isn't interesting. There was a nice glass exhibit but other than that is was pretty lame. There are so many great artists in the area maybe a portion of the museum could highlight local art and bring in more visitors so the museum could grow. Just a thought. read more

Saw the Guardians exhibit by Matteo Pugliese. Look up his art work. Looking at his sculptures was like taking a tour around the world. I wish that I could have taken some pictures. Check it out: http://matteopugliese.com/artworks/the-guardians/ read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Admittedly I'm much more of a 'regular person' than an art connoisseur, but honestly, I imagine most people visiting BAM are just regular people so I couldn't have been too out of place! Beautiful exhibits with a spotlight on local art and art from historically underrepresented groups. Make sure you read all the blurbs and art descriptions since they add a lot to the exhibits. read more

We were so excited to go for the first time, but unfortunately it was a terrible experience!! I did have my 6, and 2 year old with me as was told kids are allowed to go. We were followed the entire time by 2 employees, which made it so unenjoyable. There were other families there, but they weren't being watched, and followed like we were. It was beyond ridiculous, and I get " protocol," but when you are the only ones being followed it cant be!! I will never go back, and in fact warn others of this experience!! We didn't even get to go through the entire thing as it was just too uncomfortable being watched, and stared down the entire time. What a terrible experience, and so sad you would make someone feel like they did something wrong when in fact we just wanted to enjoy the art museum, but that was made impossible to do. read more

Boise Art Museum is by far my favorite place to visit in Boise. I am a local artist myself and this museum inspires me. I don't mind that it is a smaller sized operation, because each exhibit is beautifully and thoughtfully curated. There is a wide range of artistic styles exhibited, their permanent collection is diverse and impressive, and their rotating exhibits really celebrate many of the young,(and iconic) modern artists of today and yesteryear. This place is seriously my church. When I am feeling down, or uninspired, I take my membership card and get my butt over there. The grounds are so gorgeous and peaceful and filled with divine sculptures and a very cool water fountain. I always leave feeling super pumped and with the burning to create! I love the gift shop and the people who work there too. The staff is very supportive, knowledgeable and friendly. The gift shop has some beautifully crafted pieces, some fun things for kids and adults alike and great collection of quirky, artistic gift items and some pretty amazing, pottery, glass and jewelry. One of the many, cool highlights in the museum is the SAS Passenger Ticket by Andy Warhol which is a large, vibrant visual representation of a Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) passenger ticket. The artwork was based on Warhol's round-trip SAS airline and baggage check ticket to Stockholm, Sweden, dated December 7, 1967. (source BAM's website). I don't have any photos to show right now, since they do not allow photography inside, but when the summer months come around, I will be sure to snap some shots of the gardens and update this review! Go check out BAM today! Support your Art Museums! read more

Underwhelming. We came to see the impressionism exhibit and was disappointed by the lack of art on display.

I visited here in March 2018. I was shocked to see that they didn't allow photography at all. While I understand copyright and reproduction conundrums all too well, there is no way everything in that museum was under copyright. The museum lacks signage and has an odd layout. The title walls for everything were in strange places and nothing flowed well. I was disappointed in the quality of the exhibitions and the fact that the entire museum was display of contemporary and modern art (except for that crazy quilt, shout out to my favorite thing they had there). The museum had a nice range of mediums of art but they definitely need more variations in eras. I also didn't appreciate the gallery attendant shadowing me...don't worry I didn't take photos! She probably should've been more worried with the kid running and crawling under the display case than about me and my phone. The entrance fee is very reasonable though. It is an okay way to spend two hours. read more

For a local museum this is pretty good. Honestly as much as I love Boise and I love art I would go for a 3-1/2 stars instead of 4. The space isn't that impressive and I haven't been amazed by the different installations. I want this to be a place that I simply "must be" but I find myself uninspired instead. If you need an afternoon to hang out at a place to spark conversation and you know and love art then by all means check it out. But it really needs an overhaul if it is going to be a relevant art space. read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

See all

I was in and out in less than 15 minutes. No photography and no drinks. A lot of rules for a meager handful of artwork. Special exhibit on shoes was the only highlight. My student id got me in for only 3 dollars. Not worth your time. I did get a nice nutcracker for half off that's about it. read more

I've never really understood art, but I'm always amazed at the process to make it. BAM features many different types of art, from potteries to paintings to sculptures. They also have rotating exhibitions. We liked the one on LEGOs. The grounds are beautiful and historic. It's very cool to see the facade to the old 1930s building inside the new building. That's my favorite part. read more

If you can keep in mind that you are in Boise, and not a big city like New York City, you should enjoy the Boise Art Museum. What I mean by that is that you should not expect to see a huge selection of art by world renowned artists. They have a pretty steady rotation of exhibits and they keep the place spotless. They also have a great interactive area for children should you bring them along. I have enjoyed my visits and would not hesitate to return. read more

Boise Art Museum - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho

Drop dead gorgeous guest art exhibition called "the kingdom" by Adonna Khare. The elephants piece is so soulful. Her amazing artistic skill brought me so much joy. Such detail. Must see up close. Go! read more

See all

This place is small, but beautiful nonetheless. I prefer this over the historical museum across the street. I think this was the first place I witnessed Georgia O'Keeffe's painting back in 2005. It was an amazing experience for me. The dim lighting and casual mood of the museum enhanced my experience. read more

The first time I went here was to see native son Matthew Barney explain the Cremaster cycle. Since he rarely speaks publically, I was pretty thrilled to be at the museum. I went back a second time the last time I was in Boise, not for a special event or anything, and they had a cool exhibit on Frank Lloyd Wright's home furnishing line. The museum has both rotating and permanent exhibits, and is a lot cooler then what you might expect from an Art museum in Boise. If you find yourself hanging out in Boise, this Museum is worth a visit. read more

Small museum but worth the visit. The entrance fee was pretty low, certainly cheaper than a lot of museums. There were two really cool rotating exhibits for my visit that were cool. Some of the pieces have numbers you can dial from your cell phone to get information. You cannot take any pictures for anything here. The layout is really nice, you can go from one exhibit to the next pretty seamlessly. It is very open and well lit. There is an indoor and outdoor sculpture area. There is an area for people to do hands-on activities. It is near the Rose Garden. Parking nearby is free. All factors combined, it's worth a visit. read more

Hands down, the best attraction in Boise! We were on the last day of a weekend trip during which Boise had greatly underwhelmed me. Feeling sullen and hopeless after experiencing numerous letdowns, I insisted we check out the art museum we had passed the day before, despite it not making the list my travel partner created for our trip. This was the one non food oriented thing I was determined to experience. Honestly, it was actually the only other thing I was set on doing, besides the checking out the tiki bar. We went inside and were pleasantly surprised by the affordable entrance fee and friendly staff. The art was really enjoyable, primarily modern art. One exhibit by a local artist had a lot of depth and emotional insight into her experience living with a disability. I also really liked the neon light display in the room facing the outdoor garden space. One of the museum floor staff we interacted with was a bit rough around the edges and responded our question condescendingly. That was the only negative part of the experience but I still wouldn't hesitate to recommend this museum to anyone visiting or living in Boise! I even found a cute board book to bring as a souvenir for my baby cousin. read more

Boise Art Museum - Bought this great children's book in the museum store! - Art Museums Near Me - Boise, Idaho