The Museum's website (
visit link) has this to say about itself:
"he New Bedford Art Musem/ArtWorks! engages the public in experiencing, understanding and appreciating art.
The South Coast is rich in culture, history and diversity. And rich in art!
Since 1996, the New Bedford Art Musem/ArtWorks! has been a fixture in downtown New Bedford, offering engaging exhibitions of artwork from around the corner and across the ocean.
Linger, learn and appreciate art and artistic expression as you stroll through the Museum's main Skylight Gallery. Discover new delights as you explore the Museum's home, a former bank that includes two vintage vaults, one with a distinctive circular safe door.
The Museum strives to offer dynamic and interactive educational opportunities. Museum education programs reach out to the community through its distinctive ArtMobile summer program as well as creative arts education and lectures for adults and children.
Museum exhibits change three times each year and vary in subject matter and artistic medium. Contemporary and historic art, as well as local, national and international artists, have been displayed.
Come get a taste of New Bedford's artistic culture.
About NBAM
NBAM was formed in 1994 and incorporated in 1996. Located in the historic downtown district of the City of New Bedford, the Museum is housed in the renovated Anthony J. Catojo, Jr. Building, formerly a bank.
NBAM is an educational private non-profit (501 (c) 3) organization, which carries out its mission through two major areas of activity: mounting exhibits and conducting education programs.
Exhibits:
NBAM is a non-collections-holding institution. Exhibited art and objects are culled from a variety of sources, including artist's collections, private collectors and cultural institutions. This strengthens NBAM's ongoing collaborative relationships, and often serves to bring art and objects into view that may not otherwise be available to our public.
NBAM is comprised of seven galleries; the first level includes the Skylight Gallery, Heritage Gallery, City Gallery, Regions Gallery, and the Upper Vault. On the lower level are the Community Gallery and the Lower Vault with its distinctive safe door. We have three exhibition periods per year and host one to five exhibitions per year, with our Regions Gallery changing every four to six weeks. NBAM also has a museum store, which offers jewelry, prints, and other artworks made by local artist.
NBAM is dedicated to presenting a wide array of art and objects, supported by an equally broad array of programming to appeal to the largest possible audience. Contemporary art, cultural art objects, and historic art are exhibited and include the art of local, national and international artists. Providing a balance of these exhibition categories accomplishes three goals:
Reflect the plurality of interests in the SouthCoast region.
Appeal to a wide potential audience.
Challenge, expand, and educate viewers' perceptual scope."