Yellowstone Art Museum opens new Visible Vault
Published: August 2, 2010
Special guests, door prizes and activities for the whole family are on tap Aug. 7-8 during a celebration of the Yellowstone Art Museum’s new Visible Vault – the region's first publicly accessible art storage facility.
Groundbreaking began June 11, 2009, for the first phase in a $17-million capital and endowment campaign at the Billings museum. Phase I, with a $6 million goal, includes the Visible Vault.
“One goal in the first phase of the capital campaign is to improve preservation of Montana’s premier visual arts resource for present and future generations – a collection that numbers over 7,300 objects,” said Robyn G. Peterson, executive director of the Yellowstone Art Museum. “The Visible Vault will triple our art storage capacity, include interpretive features for the public, provide public access to the collection database, and introduce an artist-in-residence studio.”
The vault, one of only a handful of similar facilities nationwide, “is truly a cultural treasure for Billings,” she added.
The storage facility gives the public an opportunity to see what happens behind the scenes at an art museum. “If you’ve ever wondered how art is stored and preserved, the Visible Vault will provide first-hand knowledge to guests, who can observe these processes as they happen,” said Kimberly Sapone, YAM’s development director.
Vault tours, live entertainment, food, and a children’s carnival and art activities are on tap from noon-6 p.m. Saturday and noon-4 p.m. Sunday. In addition, the public can visit with the first artist-in-residence, Tracy Linder.
Saturday’s activities include steamroller art, antique appraisals, and art education presentations. Missoula Art Museum Curator Steve Glueckert will present a talk on Montana’s art and artists and Architect Kim Olsen will lead a tour of the Visible Vault’s green building features.
On Sunday, children can participate in a Bike Rodeo with the Billings Police Department and have a chance to win new bike helmets provided by Billings Clinic.
The Visible Vault is located behind the Yellowstone Art Museum at 505 North 26th Street. For more information, contact the Yellowstone Art Museum at 406-256-6804 or visit www.artmuseum.org.
