Arts & Culture

Boise, the capital of Idaho and largest metropolitan center between Portland and Salt Lake City, offers beauty and adventure both outdoors and within our thriving arts scene. You’ll find installations, murals and public art around the city, and can tour the Boise Art Museum, Idaho Anne Frank Human Rights Memorial, Zoo Boise, historical museums and other cultural hotspots within a few blocks of one another.  A Boise Museum Pass makes it easy, and affordable.

The Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, a 2,030-seat facility located on the Boise State University campus, is the site of much of the city's cultural activity. The center hosts performances by the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra and Ballet Idaho as well as special events that range from rock concerts to touring Broadway productions. The city holds an annual Shakespearean festival, and several area theatrical groups perform throughout the year. Among them are the Boise Little Theater, the Idaho Theater for Youth, and the Stage Coach Theater.

The city is home to a number of museums and art galleries. The Idaho Historical Museum, located in Julia Davis Park, is a unique open-air museum that features an Old West saloon, a blacksmith's shop, and western and native American artifacts. The restored Idaho State Penitentiary (called the "Old Pen") now houses several museums, including the Idaho Transportation Museum and the Electricity Museum. The Idaho Black History Museum recently relocated from the former penitentiary to St. Paul Baptist Church in Julia Davis park; exhibits relate the importance of the African American culture to the heritage of Idaho and the nation. The Boise Art Museum, also in Julia Davis Park, contains a permanent collection of regional and national art; it also hosts a number of traveling exhibits each year. The Idaho Botanical Garden, featuring a variety of themed gardens, is adjacent to the "Old Pen." Other art galleries in the city include the Art Attack Gallery, Brown's Galleries, Gallery 601, and the Art Source Gallery.

Nationally-renowned theater and performing arts companies also call Boise home, including the Boise Contemporary Theater, Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Ballet Idaho, Idaho Dance Theatre and Trey McIntyre Project.

The result is a city that lets you find, and fuel, your passion for the arts.