The museum has five exhibition galleries which host exhibits from its own vast collection and
travelling exhibits from other museums and the Smithsonian Institute. Current exhibits include:
•
Lasting Heritage - a display of Plateau Tribal Cultures native art.
•
SPOMa: Spokane Modern Architecture
•
Inland Northwest Narrative: Crossroads and Confluence
•
100 Stories - A Centennial Exhibition
•
Meet Me at the Spot: The Art of Patrick Siler.
The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesday, so, naturally, that was when we stopped by. As a result we didn't get to see any inside exhibits, but found that the outside alone is well worth a visit. There are several impressive and interesting artworks scattered about the grounds, as well as some memorials and an amphitheater on the west side of the main building for various types and styles of performing arts. This museum is number one on our itinerary for the next trip to Spokane.
Incorporated into the museum, and where it actually began, is the 1898
Campbell House,
designed for Amasa B. Campbell by renowned and prolific local architect
Kirtland Kelsey Cutter. Campbell had invested $25,000 in successful mines near Coeur d'Alene, most notably the Gem and the Mace, turning it into a fortune. Restored and refurnished as closely as possible to original, it is a gallery unto itself.