About the Museum

Mission Statement

The BYU Museum of Art supports the University's mission by providing a space where art experiences inspire dialogue and connection with our campus, community, and the world.

Vision Statement

We aspire to be a preeminent university art museum that promotes empathy, insight, and hope. We aim to do this by:

• broadening the impact of the museum students, stakeholders, diverse communities, and global audiences
• producing exhibitions, programs, and events that demonstrate the value of art across disciplines and cultures
• contributing to the spiritual lives of individuals through edifying experiences with art
• nurturing an appreciation for the visual arts as a fundamental part of lifelong learning
• preserving and acquiring our collections according to the highest professional standards

Value Statements

Mutual Respect and Empathy: We foster an environment of appreciation and mutual respect for each individual’s professional role and competencies, allowing for teamwork and open communication. We seek to consider others’ experiences with open minds and recognize the value of diverse perspectives.

Stewardship: We recognize the sacred nature and responsibility of our resources, collection, and roles at the museum. We commit to maintaining the museum for future generation and each magnifying our stewardship to achieve our mission.

Scholarship and Learning: As a University museum, we promote, generate, and facilitate scholarship of our collection and exhibitions, making new ideas relevant and engaging to campus and community. We consider education a lifelong endeavor and encourage opportunities for on-going learning and development for patrons and staff.

Collaboration: We understand that partnerships with campus, scholars, artists, museums, stakeholders, and community members are essential to the success of the museum. We actively seek and build these relationships to strengthen our University and Community.

Spirituality and Introspection: We celebrate the power of visual art to convey messages of profound significance. We honor and encourage dialogues of belief and faith, and strive to cultivate a space for introspection and edification.

Role of the Museum

One of the largest and best-attended art museums in the Mountain West, the BYU Museum of Art, offers a dynamic exhibition schedule that includes displays of its permanent collection, world-class traveling shows, and thought-provoking exhibitions organized by museum curators. One of the museum’s most important roles is its contribution to the academic mission of Brigham Young University. From the research and study of the artworks in the permanent collection, to the teaching and learning that occurs in classrooms and galleries, the museum plays an important role in the academic pursuits of many students at BYU. The museum also seeks to connect to broad community audiences through exhibitions and educational programming.

Campus Contributions

The Museum of Art is an integrated teaching and research environment. Student employees and interns receive academic and pre-professional training in many fields relating to art museum practice. The university’s masters degree program in Art History and Curatorial Studies is a formal collaboration between the museum and the art history area of the Visual Arts Department in the university’s College of Fine Arts and Communications. Museum personnel teach a number of courses offered in both undergraduate and graduate programs and supervise master’s thesis.

Inside the Museum

The Brigham Young University Museum of Art is a four-story, modern facility of more than 102,000 square feet in size. The museum houses ten exhibition galleries, an auditorium, classrooms, a small theater, a print study room, a gift store, and security and administrative offices. The museum also contains state-of-the-art design, fabrication, imaging, registration, and storage areas. The Museum Café overlooks a beautiful sculpture garden and reflection pool.

Design and Architecture

The Museum of Art was designed by Los Angeles architect James Langenheim. Former directors of lighting and design at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, LeMar Terry and Stuart Silver, assisted in determining the sophisticated lighting requirements and the best functional use of space. Prominent personnel from such associations as the Smithsonian Institution, the Getty Museum, and the National Gallery of Art also contributed to the design and planning of the building. The objective of these designers was to construct an art museum that not only exhibited art but was itself a work of art. The building’s articulated triangular shape provides a constant change in size, direction, form and light.

Notice: Visitors to the museum may be filmed, photographed, or recorded by the BYU Museum of Art during their visit for educational and promotional uses, including for posting on the BYU Museum of Art website, Facebook page, and other public websites.