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With the many artists living in and around Ellensburg, is it any surprise there are lots of galleries and museums to choose from? Gallery One, a nonprofit public visual arts center, is dedicated to showing local as well as national and international artists. The Clymer Museum of Art is a haven for Clymer art fans, with one of the largest collections of John F. Clymer originals. And the Kittitas County Historical Museum is a great place to learn about how the valley came to be, with information on pioneers, local Native American tribes and more. The Sarah Spurgeon Gallery at Central Washington University is where some of the freshest and newest in art talent can be found.
Gallery One: Visual Arts Center
408 N. Pearl St., downtown Ellensburg
(509) 925-2670
Gallery One
Open 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday and until 7 p.m. on the first Friday of each month Gallery One has monthly shows as part of the First Friday Art Walk (an event that takes place in various locations throughout Ellensburg). Shows generally consist of local artists, but also feature regional, national and occasionally international artists. The gallery fosters the local art community in many ways, including rental studio space, shows for Central Washington University art students and a big variety of art classes. It has also recently introduced artist guest lectures and often has special events, such as hands-on workshops, wine tastings and live music. And the gallery’s holiday sale is not to be missed.
The gallery has a big gift shop with a variety of items, including art, jewelry, paper products and home décor.
Kittitas County Historical Museum
114 E. Third Ave., downtown Ellensburg
(509) 925-3778
Kittitas County Museum
Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday and until 7 p.m. on the first Friday of each month
The Kittitas County Historical Society, founded by ancestors of valley pioneers, started the one-room museum in the 1960s and eventually moved the items, plus new ones, to its present-day location. At the museum, visitors will find nearly every era of life in Kittitas County. Permanent exhibits include the antique doll and buggy collection, historic photograph and slides, Mires glass plate negatives, Native American bag and basket collection and much more. The museum also offers several events for families.
Clymer Museum of Art
416 N. Pearl St., downtown Ellensburg
(509) 962-6416
Clymer Museum
Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday Saturday, noon-4 p.m. and until 7 p.m. on the first Friday of each month The Clymer Museum of Art features a year-round exhibit of John F. Clymer original works. Clymer, born in Ellensburg in 1907, is well known for his many illustrations featured on the covers of “Field and Stream” and “The Saturday Evening Post.” His large oil paintings depict the many faces of life, from family outings to cowboys and Native Americans. Later in life he began to focus his work on the Pacific Northwest landscapes. The museum, also a First Friday Art Walk venue, shows many local artists, has a gift shop, special events and a big holiday show. The Clymer Museum also offers regular art classes, workshops and artist guest lectures.
Sarah Spurgeon Gallery
CWU Campus, Randall Hall on 14th Avenue (509) 963-2665 Spurgeon Gallery
Open 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Monday-Friday,Noon-3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday The Sarah Spurgeon Gallery is dedicated to showing CWU student artwork, as well as artists and faculty. Central’s art department is known for its talented students – many who have gone on to show their work in cities and opened their own galleries. The gallery shows a large variety of mediums, including photography, painting, jewelry, sculpture, collage, mixed media, pen & ink, lithographs and more. It spices things up by having individual and group shows, always providing a visitor with something different each time.
