Mission

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art believes everyone deserves access to art that challenges our understanding of the present and inspires us to create a future that holds space for us all.

About

Located on the campus of one of the most racially diverse universities in the United States, we strive to create a nourishing environment for those who continue to be neglected by contemporary art museums, including BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ groups. As the only free art museum in the city of Las Vegas, we commit ourselves to leveling barriers that limit access to the arts, especially for first-time visitors. To facilitate access for low-income guests we provide free entry to all our exhibitions, workshops, lectures, and community activities. Our collection of artworks offers an opportunity for researchers and scholars to develop a more extensive knowledge of contemporary art in Southern Nevada. The Barrick Museum is part of the College of Fine Arts at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV).

Programming & Engagement

The Barrick is expanding its exhibition programming to reflect the diverse nature of our community. We are broadening our collection by working to include artists from backgrounds that have been historically marginalized by American art museums. Our curatorial programming is strengthened by collaborative partnerships with community collectives such as the Womxn of Color Arts Festival. Aware that museums have historically not equally welcomed all members of the community, we work with on-campus partners such as The Intersection (UNLV’s Academic Multicultural Resource Center), as well as off-campus partners like the Clark County School District, to create interdisciplinary programs that make space for a multitude of voices to participate in an equitable environment.

History

The museum was founded in 1967. Initially connected to Nevada’s Desert Research Institute and the science faculty at the newly-established University of Nevada, Las Vegas (then Nevada Southern University), it housed collections of scientific specimens and provided a space where knowledge about the desert could be disseminated to the community through exhibitions and live demonstrations. Over a period of several years in the late 1970s, it moved from its original building at the intersection of Maryland Parkway and Del Mar Street to its current home in a former gymnasium on the UNLV campus. During the next thirty years, the museum’s focus on artifacts and specimens gradually expanded to include exhibitions of contemporary art by artists from America and abroad. In 1989 it adopted the name of local philanthropist Marjorie Barrick, the founder of UNLV’s Barrick Lecture Series. Its current identity as an art museum was consolidated in 2012 when it became part of the UNLV College of Fine Arts.

About the College of Fine Arts

The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art is part of the UNLV College of Fine Arts. A creative nexus anchored within the vibrant and diverse culture of Las Vegas, the College of Fine Arts boldly launches visionaries who transform the global community through collaboration, scholarship, and innovation. More about its exhibition spaces, and performance venues, along with its seven academic departments and schools, can be found at the College website.