Missoula Montana offers more than just world-class trout fishing and stunning mountain vistas.
Surrounded by jaw-dropping mountains and trout-filled streams it’s easy to assume that nothing in Missoula can top that. With its rugged Wild West history and unforgiving terrain, one may think that such a place lacks culture and sophistication.
And one couldn’t be more wrong. From gorgeous Native artworks to thought-provoking modern exhibits, Missoula’s art scene has never been more dynamic.
Missoula Art Museum
Missoula Art Museum (or MAM) now resides in what was once Missoula’s first Carnegie library. Embracing the past and present, it beautifully melds original brickwork from 1903 with contemporary additions of glass and steel.
With a mission to showcase as many indigenous artists and regional talents as possible, MAM’s eight exhibition galleries display an eclectic and diverse collection.
Such as the fun and colorful Trophy Room exhibit by Ken Little. Fashioned from mix-matched leather clothing and other discarded pieces, Little’s taxidermied “beasts” bring vibrancy to an otherwise somber art form. This exhibit remains on display until December 28th.
Montana Museum of Art and Culture
Over 11,000 historic works of fine art comprise the permanent collection of the Montana Museum of Art and Culture. Within this collection reside pieces by Donatello, Rembrandt, Picasso, Dali, as well as several ancient native and Asian textiles.
While small, the museum’s goal remains to not only be a resource for the college but for Montana and beyond.
On exhibit now through December 14th, visitors can enjoy the chronological works of Montana modernist Jack Franjevic. A professor of art at the College of Great Falls, he devoted himself to teaching and a lifetime of learning. This lack of self-promotion led to the name Franjevic being virtually unknown beyond Great Falls.
In his 30 years as an art teacher, he mastered a wide range of styles found in 20th-century modernism. Browsing through his three dozen paintings from his family’s private collection, look for Franjevic’s interpretations of realism, abstract distortion in perspective, impressionism, cubism, German expressionism, and pop art.
Never exhibiting his works, most of his pieces found their way into the homes of family and friends. This exhibit consists of pieces on loan from Franjevic’s family, making this the largest collection of Franjevic pieces ever mounted.
The Residence Inn in Downtown Missoula
One of the last places you might expect to find an elegant blend of fine art and history is a chain hotel. But that’s exactly what you’ll find in downtown Missoula. Where once the old Missoula Mercantile stood now sits the swanky five-story Residence Inn by Marriott.
The bustling sounds of commerce, such as the ding of cash registers, play overhead as you enter into the Mews.
Once the historic Mercantile’s pharmacy, the marketplace now known as the Mews consists of a collection of restaurants and boutiques encompassing the lobby of the Residence Inn. Which only seems fitting considering the building’s origins.
The Mercantile’s construction began in 1877 and was THE PLACE to shop in Missoula. Deep into the 1920s, one could find everything from groceries and home goods to horse-drawn wagons and plows.
In 1959, it changed to Allied Department Stores and then the Bon Marche in 1978. The building changed hands again in 2003 to become Bon-Macy’s only to finally become Macy’s a few years later before closing in 2010.
For seven years the building lay empty and abandoned before Marriot decided to take a chance on it.
Due to foundation deterioration and asbestos, nearly 80 percent of the original building needed demolition. Thanks to Home Resource of Missoula, a vast majority of the building endured through salvaging and recycling.
Near and dear to the heart of Missoulians, Marriott and the town came together to preserve this historic landmark. Thanks to the creative efforts of many, historic photographs from the archives of the University of Missoula, artifacts found within the old Mercantile, antique catalogs pages, gigantic safe doors and salvaged parts from the ancient elevator shafts adorn the walkways, meeting places, and rooms.
From authentic indigenous artifacts to contemporary political satire, Missoula’s art scene remains as vast and varied as the mountainous terrain enveloping the lively college town.
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