Explore Utah's Finest Art Museums: A Must-See List
Utah is home to a variety of art museums that cater to different tastes and interests. Here's a guide to some of the top museums in the state, each offering unique features that make them worth visiting:
UVU Museum of Art (Utah Valley University, Orem)
This museum combines art exhibits with a beautiful historic home, the Lakemount Manor. Visitors experience both changing art exhibitions—often featuring Utah artists—and the grandeur of the historic mansion, including elegant architecture like high ceilings, large windows, grand staircases, and a music room. It is family-friendly with free admission and activities for kids, and fully accessible with an elevator.
Kimball Art Center (Park City)
Known for seamlessly blending traditional and contemporary art, this center offers diverse collections across different eras and art movements. It serves as a community hub for arts education and showcases both paintings and sculptures alongside installations, providing a comprehensive artistic experience that highlights the evolution of art. It also hosts events such as art festivals.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts (Salt Lake City)
Though not detailed in the search results, it is consistently cited among the best museums in Utah, known for a wide-ranging collection from global and local artists, making it a key destination for fine arts in the state.
Springville Museum of Art
As Utah’s first visual art museum, it features over 15 exhibitions annually, with a special focus on Utah artists. This museum is dedicated to celebrating and supporting the local creative community, making it essential for discovering Utah’s artistic voices.
Additional options include the interactive Museum of Illusions in Salt Lake City, offering a fun, mind-bending experience suitable for all ages, distinct from traditional art museums.
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (NEHMA) at Utah State University in Logan
The NEHMA offers a distinctive and compelling perspective on modern and contemporary art. It boasts an impressive collection of over 2,500 works, with a particular focus on artists from the western United States. The renovated and expanded NEHMA building features new galleries, state-of-the-art storage, and improved visitor amenities.
Brigham Young University Museum of Art (MOA) in Provo
One of the most respected and visited university art museums in the country, the MOA's permanent collection features a wide range of artworks, including American paintings, contemporary art, religious-themed pieces, and unique international collections.
Each of these museums is notable not only for their collections but also for their unique settings—historic architecture at UVU, art education and community engagement at Kimball, and strong local artist representation at Springville—each offering a different yet enriching art experience.
- In addition to art museums, Utah also caters to diverse lifestyle interests, with the Museum of Illusions in Salt Lake City offering a unique fashion-and-beauty experience through its mind-bending exhibits.
- For those passionate about food-and-drink, travel, and home-and-garden, a visit to the Brigham Young University Museum of Art (MOA) in Provo provides an enriching experience, featuring a wide range of artworks from international collections, making it a perfect blend of culture and lifestyle.
