Museum: Story

Originally known as Gallery One, it was owned and operated by Charles Hill. It was located at 232 S.W. 6th St. and consisted of a 20ft x 24ft upstairs room at the cost of $35 a month. Established in 1979 as a non-profit art museum and renamed Grants Pass Museum of Art.

 At the time of establishment, Grants Pass Museum of Art was one of four art museums in the state of Oregon.

RiversideParkwThe Articles of Incorporation and original Bylaws of the Corporation were created.
 
The newly-founded GPMA was relocated to the center of Riverside Park, where it remained for 20 years.
The building was leased from the City of Grants Pass for $1.00 per year. It originally was used as the Grant Pass Parks & Recreation maintenance building. With the physical and monetary help of more than 100 people from Grants Pass, the entire interior was remodeled into a two-gallery museum.
The original Board of Directors consisted of five Grants Pass artists.
A permanent art collection was assembled by the founders to which new additions are added by the direction of the Board of Directors.
 
 
Bldg daytimew
A new building was purchased to house the Museum at 229 S.W. G St., downtown Grants Pass on November 6, 1998.
The two story, 8000 square-foot “G” St. building houses the 4000 square-foot Grants Pass Museum of Art upstairs, while the 4000 sq foot area below is split and leased to an Art Gallery and a business.

The Museum opened Gallery One in one of the downstairs business locations in 2005 as an art gallery and gift shop. It offers local artists the opportunity to display and sell their work and the community an exciting place to shop. The “G” Street building is currently on the Historical Registry.