Bellevue Arts Museum to Reopen Doors on Oct. 2

Bellevue Arts Museum to Reopen Doors on Oct. 2

The Heart of Bellevue’s hub for all things art and culture, the Bellevue Arts Museum, will be reopening on Oct. 2, allowing visitors to see new exhibits and enjoy the full amenities of the museum. With Washington’s Safe Start plan and CDC guidelines in mind, BAM staff worked extensively to ensure the health and wellbeing of visitors and employees remains paramount – and of course, curated exceptional exhibits for you to see.

While the museum’s reopening is a moment to celebrate, BAM never stopped being a resource for the community. Even while closed, a team of dedicated staff worked hard to give back to the community – quickly creating new online experiences, supporting artists in the community and even hosting a successful blood drive in partnership with BloodWorks NW. It was a way for the museum to adapt to the needs of the community while also adapting to the situation.

“It’s a very tough environment for arts non-profits,” Benedict Heywood, Executive Director and Chief Curator of Bellevue Art Museum said. “One thing that we’re proud of is that as an employer we’ve not laid-off or furloughed any staff, and we pivoted quickly to an online program and our BAM From Home work, including art kits for the school district.”

BAM has also adapted the visitor experience to ensure all guests and staff are safe. Members and visitors are required to reserve time for their visits in keeping with proper social distancing. This can be done online, in-person, or via phone. The museum also changed their admissions structure to ensure all community members can access the museum. Admission to BAM now used a Pay-What-You-Can program (members are still free), generously underwritten by Overlake Medical Center and Clinics.

“We’ve always been passionate about focusing on our audiences,” Heywood said. “That won’t change and the pandemic has only made us realize how important that is, as well as how important we are to the Bellevue community.”

Beginning on Oct. 2, BAM will be open Friday - Sunday from 11 am - 5 pm. Members-only days will be on Sept. 26 and 27.

And when you head down to the museum, here are a few exhibitions you won’t want to miss:

• Stephen Holl – Making Architecture (closes October 11th)
• Yellow No5 – An Exhibition by Tariqa Waters- November 6, 2020 - April 18, 2021
• Julie Green – The Last Supper- September 4, 2020 - October 21, 2021

We’re excited to have BAM welcoming guests once again. Go check it out!
 

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This blog is part of the Heart of Bellevue: our campaign to showcase local businesses while connecting you with stories of activity, creativity and recovery. Find out about our campaign and explore more of what’s happening around Downtown.