The Missoula Art Museum (MAM) is a contemporary art museum in Missoula, Montana. MAM was founded in 1975 as the Missoula Museum for the Arts and has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1987.

History

When the

Missoula Public Library The Missoula Public Library is the public library of Missoula, Montana. The library provides free resources for residents and guests of Missoula County, Montana. A library card is free, and available, to all Montana residents. Description Th ...

moved to its then-new headquarters on Main Street in 1972, the future of the empty Carnegie Library was in question. Lela Autio organized an exhibit of contemporary textiles — then a pioneering artform — created by Nancy Erickson, Dana Boussard within the space. Autio, Missoula Mayor George Turman and his wife Kay and other community members and artists, organized in support of the conversion of the building to an art museum. The Missoula Museum of the Arts opened in March 1975. In 1987, the museum began actively collecting and accessioning artworks, and was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. In 1995, the Missoula Museum of the Arts became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. In 2006, the newly re-designed building, funded by a $5.3 million capital campaign, fused the 100-year-old Carnegie Library building with a contemporary addition. The Missoula Museum of the Arts officially changed its name to the Missoula Art Museum upon completion of this renovation and expansion. The newly renovated building provides 6000 square feet of exhibitions space.

Collection

In 1987, the museum began actively collecting and accessioning artworks, and was accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. In 1995, the Missoula Museum of the Arts became a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Within the main collection, the Contemporary American Indian Art Collection (CAIAC) was established in 1997 following a gift of prints by Native American artist

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (born 1940) is a Native American visual artist and curator. She is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is also of Métis and Shoshone descent. She is also an art educator, art advocate ...

. It has grown to include artworks by prominent Native American artists like

Corwin Clairmont Corwin "Corky" Clairmont is a printmaker and conceptual and installation artist from the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation. Known for his high concept and politically charged works, Clairmont seeks to explore situatio ...

Gail Tremblay Gail Tremblay (born 1945) is an American writer and artist with Mi'kmaq and Onondaga ancestry. A professor at The Evergreen State College since 1981, she lives and works in Washington State. Tremblay received a Washington State Governor's Arts an ...

and

George Longfish George Chester Longfish (born August 22, 1942) is a First Nations artist, professor, and museum director. His art work blends Pop art with Indigenous motifs, and often features assemblage. Many of his works have been featured in major public mus ...

. Today, the CAIAC at MAM is the largest collection of contemporary American Indian art in the state of Montana, and the largest collection of Quick-to-See Smith's work of any museum. The museum’s location and grassroots origins also contribute to the close relationships with Modernist artists from Montana. Collection highlights include works by

Rudy Autio Rudy or Rudi is a masculine given name, sometimes short for Rudolf, Rudolph, Rawad, Rudra, Ruairidh, or variations thereof, a nickname and a surname which may refer to: People Given name or nickname *Rudolf Rudy Andeweg (born 1952), Dutch polit ...

Frances Senska Frances Maude Senska (March 9, 1914 – December 25, 2009) was an art professor and artist specializing in ceramics who taught at Montana State University – Bozeman from 1946 to 1973. She was known as the "grandmother of ceramics in Montana". Du ...

, Lela Autio, and

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

and Gennie DeWeese, as well as Maxine Blackmer, Freeman Butts, Walter Hook, and more.

Reference

{{reflist

External links

Official website
Museums in Missoula, Montana Art museums and galleries in Montana