Steamboat Art Museum

History of the Museum

In 2004, a group of Colorado artists and art supporters came together with the goal of starting an art museum in Steamboat Springs, CO. Their mission became “to collect, preserve and present fine art to the public, with a focus on the culture and heritage of Northwestern Colorado”. Around the same time, the First National Bank Building (Rehder Building) on 8th and Lincoln was bequeathed to the City of Steamboat Springs by the estate of Helen and Henry Rehder. With the stipulation that the building be used as a museum, the Steamboat Art Museum (SAM) incorporated in 2005 and opened its first exhibit in the historic Rehder Building in December of 2006.

In 2010, SAM signed a 99-year lease with the City of Steamboat Springs to permanently house the Museum in the Rehder Building. From 2009-2013, major construction projects to the exterior and interior of the original 1905 building and the 1920 addition were completed, transforming the original 1905 building into a world-class exhibition space and museum store.

Future plans include the rehabilitation of the 1920 addition to the back of the main building.

To date, SAM has presented thirty exhibitions, including an international exchange with Mexico, the $10 million Bill Gollings exhibit on loan from the University of Wyoming, three national travelling exhibits, an eye-opening and timely local collection of Russian Art from the 1930’s-80’s, as well as numerous exhibits featuring individual notable master artists such as Clyde Aspevig, Ken Carlson, Scott Christensen, Jim Norton and Quang Ho.

Our exhibition roster is full and committed for three years in the future with exciting and educational exhibits. To date, there have been more than 70,000+ visitors through our doors from all over the world.

We often get visitors who have travelled to Steamboat just to see our exhibits.