BOISE ART MUSEUM

Group 1 focused on the Boise Art Museum. Located on the western edge of Julia Davis Park, the Boise Art Museum is composed of the original structure, built in 1937, and several additions from the 70's, 80's, and 90's, which surround it. This creates a eclectic grouping of spaces with vastly different lighting, glazing, and structural conditions.

Group 1 was given a tour of the museum by BAM preparator Ron Walker who described the unique climate considerations that must be taken in a museum of fine art. According to Walker, the target conditions for a museum are a temperature of 71 degrees Fahrenheit and a relative humidity of 50%.

Two different HVAC systems were employed in the spaces which we examined. The smaller Gallery 5 used a geothermal system, while the larger Beaux Arts Society Sculpture Court, part of the 1997 addition, used a conventional forced air system.