bellevue arts museum (bam)

BAM (Bellevue Art Museum) is a small, downtown museum. There were two exhibits when we visited in February, one on new visions in glass art and another on wood pieces. Both were excellent with informative panels and great curation. The very large wood exhibit had everything from sculpture to bowls to furniture. You were asked to vote on the artists work that you like the most and deposit our ballet in a box so that added extra fun to viewing the pieces. There were four of us and we kept our picks secret until we were finished seeing all of the pieces. Then we each pointed out what our pick was and explained our choices. A great way to get people involved with the art and to really look at it and think about it. I noticed several interactive art spaces for children and lots of outdoor spaces that had tables and chairs along with sculptures. The building was very modern, on three levels with a very nice gift shop. Small lockers are available for 25 Cents. There was free parking adjacent to the building and it's right across from the Bellevue Town Center Mall which also has free parking. There is a comprehensive public art collection throughout the down town area.

The Bellevue Arts Museum always has amazing collections of work that truly demonstrate the artistry in craft. The curators do an excellent job of putting together interesting shows, and the staff at the museum are always professional, kind and knowledgeable. It is worth a trip over the Bellevue if you are visiting Seattle (you can take the 550 Express bus from downtown to downtown in 1/2 hour for $2.50).

If you are someone who enjoys various art forms, you will certainly like this museum which displays different forms of fine arts, and admission is free first Friday of every month. The museum is not a typical huge place with only 2 floors, but the collection is very interesting. We happened to visit when they were displaying Origami art work, and I can safely say that the collection was very impressive and exquisite. You might want to check out their website to see the schedule of their special displays.

This is a museum dedicated to fine crafts primarily. There was a biennial show of wood on the top floor and pieces were both varied (functional and decorative). All were really exquisite. This is not a huge venue, but was certainly worth the trip to Bellevue. If you have a car, it makes for a pleasant excursion from Seattle. Oh, and their gift shop was really delightful. I'm a fan of museum gift shops, and this was among the most interesting I've seen lately: things I haven't seen elsewhere. Worth a detour if you're in Seattle for a few days.

First Friday of month is a good time to visit Bellevue museum as entrance is free. This museum has 2 floors and it keeps interesting displays. When we visited - Origami display was happening. Origami display was brilliant. Check out their website beforehand to know what is on display at any point of time.Museum is walking distance from Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square - and so you have walkable access to free parking spaces too.

This small museum has two floors that focus on exhibitions and large installations with a nice gift shop taking up a major portion of the main floor. If there is an exhibition on that appeals to me, I make it a point to go on the first Friday of the month when the museum is free (donations accepted). But there is little there permanently to beckon to a short-time tourist in the area. "Knock on Wood," the current main exhibition, runs through March 29, 2015, and may appeal to some visitors. It is a juried exhibition that focuses on what many Northwest artists and craftspeople are able to create with wood. My favorite entry is a series of wooden bowls that resemble glass. "Quality is Contagious" introduced me to John Economaki and Bridge City Toolwoorks. A former furniture maker, Economaki now makes heirloom tools for woodworkers. This show runs through Feb. 1, 2015. The exhibitions that have enticed me to stop at BAM have been nicely done. So some visitors may find it worthwhile to check online to learn whether there is an exhibition on that is of interest.

I visited on labour day bank holiday with a friend and the museum was not too busy. There was an origami exhibit with a very wide variety of art. There is a floor for children to be arty and creative which was empty but looked quite fun.The gift shop has a nice selection of different things. Parking was free underneath the building. Some floors had drinking water fountains. It would benefit from a cafe and some more collections, but I assume this will develop as the museum becomes more popular.

The first Friday is free and then you can donate. Nice place for a rainy hour or so but not much more. Fairly small with three floors. Exhibit space is really only on the 2nd and 3rd floor. Large elevator for those who are disabled and plenty of seating in the galleries. They were showing a film in an exhibit but placed it poorly as most of the patrons blocked the elevator and the way out of the exhibit.

Really hard to quantify just what it was that did not send me over the top when visiting BAM. Maybe it was the exhibit? Well laid out. Small enough to do in half a day. I expected (I know, I should not have them) more.

Whether it's the Borchgrave paper fashion sculpting exhibit or the Japanese camp Gamen exhibit, or life size clay figures or hand-stitched raw quilt techniques or hand-painted hand-blown glass or any of a host of others, this museum always has stellar exhibits.Located in downtown Bellevue. Free parking at the museum or across the street at the mall. The museum has 3 floors but is not so large as to be overwhelming. Do-able in half a day or a couple of hours. There is a terrific gift store with unusual items too. First Fridays are free.

Great exhibitions, including the current Gamman one. So relaxing to visit - unlike many other art museums you can get up close and really see the objects. No feeling of having to move swiftly because you're blocking someone view. Great origami exhibit, showing not only Japanese but worldwide creations. Love the atmosphere and space. And it's close to great restaurants and shopping. Do go and enjoy!!!

Interesting and varied exhibits for a reasonable price. There was an excellent origami exhibit that we particularly enjoyed and a "food exhibit that was very unique and interesting.

The museum was exhibiting an Origami, paper folding show. It was exceptional, without seeing the exhibition you would not believe what you can do with paper. Also they had a very emotional and excellently organized show on what the US did to the Japanese at the start of WWII. It was shocking to see the internment camps and how doctors, artists, and educated people were forced to live. But the Japanese taught art classes to keep moral up and their art was on display. A must see...

I hadn't visited here in a long while and came just to see the Gaman (Japanese folks interred) art and crafts show. Wow! If you have a chance to see it before it closes (10/17/14) do so. There was also a wonderful show on origami which will blow your mind. Unbelievable.

Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, this little gem will make your day. It's right across from the Bellevue Mall, so you can get your shopping fix on the dame day.