At the heart of it all

A person pulls a gurney with a shrouded body through the UMFA basement.
Behind the Scenes
Haunted UMFA: A Beast in the Museum

By J. Attridge, UMFA communications coordinator

A person pulls a gurney with a shrouded body through the UMFA basement.
A portrait of Renée Green
UMFA Events
Artist Spotlight: Renée Green

By J. Attridge, UMFA communications coordinator

A portrait of Renée Green
Two concrete tunnels line up with the setting sun. A person sits silhouetted between the two tunnels surrounded by warm orange light.
Community
STEAM and the UMFA

Veronica Montes, UMFA Art Ambassador

Two concrete tunnels line up with the setting sun. A person sits silhouetted between the two tunnels surrounded by warm orange light.
A family explores a gallery at UMFA with provided family backpacks to enhance their experience.
Community
Sensory Bags Enhance Visits to Utah Museums

Mark Johnston, Marketing Manager at the Natural History Museum of Utah

When visiting the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU), the Utah Museum of Fine Art (UMFA), or other attractions in Salt Lake City, you might come across signs promoting “sensory bags” (or "family backpacks" at the UMFA). These are not terms most museum goers will be familiar with, but for a select audience these sensory bags can make all the difference between an enjoyable family experience or a stressful, all-too-brief outing.

A family explores a gallery at UMFA with provided family backpacks to enhance their experience.
A black and white photo of a young boy reading a comic book.
Art History
Pow! Whoosh! Fine Art?

By J. Attridge, UMFA communications coordinator

 

A black and white photo of a young boy reading a comic book.
A crowd of people dancing around a maypole.
UMFA Collections
Children's Books and Art

Veronica Montes, UMFA Art Ambassador

A crowd of people dancing around a maypole.
Director of collections, Stacey Kelly uses a flashlight to inspect a piece of art.
Behind the Scenes
How the UMFA Preserves Art for Generations to Come

By Melanie Espinal and J. Attridge

Less than three percent of the UMFA’s permanent collection is on display at a given time, so to ensure the public has access to more works, we commit to frequent rotations in our permanent galleries throughout the year. But that is not the only reason to rotate art: If you’ve ever left something outside for a few months and returned to find it had faded in the sun, then you know the damaging effects that light can have over time.

Director of collections, Stacey Kelly uses a flashlight to inspect a piece of art.
A black and white photo of figure in clown make up. The figure looks down and to the side as though sad.
UMFA Collections
The Fools of the UMFA

A Behind-the-Scenes Peek at the Fools and Clowns in UMFA Collection.

By J. Attridge, UMFA Communications Coordinator and clown enthusiast.

What secrets lie below the UMFA? Believe it or not, only a small percentage of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts’ collection is on view at any time. For various reasons, many of the art objects in any museum’s collection must be kept off view for varying amounts of time.

A black and white photo of figure in clown make up. The figure looks down and to the side as though sad.
A white and red lekythos tipped on its side.
Object Origins
Provenance of the "Lekythos"

A Research Journey to Uncover the Provenance of an Ancient Artwork 

By Luke Kelly, UMFA associate curator of collections 

This is the second blog in the series on provenance and why it matters for museums.

A white and red lekythos tipped on its side.
A woman with brown hair and black glasses taking a selfie in front of a national park sign and green grass.
Community
UMFA Educator Completes Artist's Residency

Virginia Catherall, UMFA curator of education, family programs, visitor experience, and community outreach, completed a month-long artist-in-residency at Glacier National Park this past summer, a prestigious opportunity granted to only two of more than fifty top applicants. 

A woman with brown hair and black glasses taking a selfie in front of a national park sign and green grass.