Founded in 1914 with a single painting, today there are 95,000 objects in the collection of 18th- and 19th-century, modern, and contemporary art — including the largest holding of works by Henri Matisse in the world.
The collection includes American and European painting, sculpture, and decorative arts; prints and drawings from the 15th century to the present; works by established and emerging contemporary artists; and art objects from Africa and Asia. Two beautifully landscaped gardens display an array of 20th-century sculpture.
The BMA is located in a historic building designed in the 1920s by renowned American architect John Russell Pope.
Exhibitions & Dates
Spencer Finch: Moon Dust
Feb 21 2018 - Oct 14 2024
150 chandeliers create a scientifically precise representation of moon dust's chemical composition
The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century
Apr 2023 - Jul 2023
70 objects reveal the impact hip hop has had on contemporary art and culture
Recasting Colonialism: Michelle Erickson Ceramics
May 7 2023 - Oct 1 2023
16 contemporary works paired with 17th-19th -century Asian & European ceramics
The Matter of Bark Cloth
May 7 2023 - Oct 1 2023
19 beautifully patterned artworks from across Africa and Oceania
Wild Forms: Fauve Woodcuts
May 14 2023 - Oct 15 2023
A dozen/+ woodcut prints produced early in the careers of Fauve artists
Making Her Mark: A History of Women Artists in Europe, 1400-1800
Oct 1 2023 - Jan 7 2024
175+ works of diverse media and scale from the 15th to 18th centuries
Histories Collide: Jackie Milad x Fred Wilson x Nekisha Durrett
Apr 26 2023 - Mar 17 2024
New works in dialogue with Fred Wilson’s Artemis/Bast
Matsumi Kanemitsu: Figure and Fantasy
May 14 2023 - Oct 8 2023
60 early works reveal Kanemitsu’s past experiences & surreal imagination.
