On Thursday, July 24, Utah’s first museum dedicated exclusively to Utah art and artists opens to the public inside a 135-year-old synagogue that was once days away from being swallowed by apartment development — and the entire opening day is free. The Salt Lake Art Museum holds its grand opening on Pioneer Day, beginning at 3:30 p.m. at 249 S. 400 E. in Salt Lake City, with programming running through 8:00 p.m. After that, the museum operates by appointment only, making Thursday’s event the only walk-in, no-cost access available until a future open-hours policy is announced.
The opening marks the first new fine art institution to launch in Salt Lake City in more than 40 years.
Is the Salt Lake Art Museum free to visit?
Only on opening day — July 24 — is admission free with no reservation required. The museum’s website currently lists its regular hours as “by appointment only,” and no general admission pricing has been publicly announced for post-opening visits. Travelers planning a future trip to Salt Lake City should contact the museum in advance at [email protected] before showing up; the building at 249 S. 400 E. will not be open for walk-in visits after this week’s event.
The July 24 schedule runs as follows, all times Mountain Time: a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3:30 p.m.; guided tours from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.; photo opportunity stations and a Butterfly Art Making activity from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
A Guided Tour Schedule Packed Into One Evening
The five guided tours are each timed to a specific exhibition, staggered every 30 minutes starting at 4:00 p.m.:
- 4:00 p.m. — Albert Bierstadt
- 4:30 p.m. — Collector’s Gallery
- 5:00 p.m. — Love In Landscape
- 5:30 p.m. — Celebrating Temple B’nai Israel
- 6:00 p.m. — Pilar: The Beautiful Land of My Reality
Each tour begins on the half-hour and runs concurrently with the photo stations and art-making activity available throughout the afternoon. Full event details are on the museum’s website…