TAM: Tacoma to celebrate Haub Family Galleries grand opening

The Tacoma Art Museum has planned several events in November to celebrate the completion of the museum’s 16,000-square-foot expansion and the grand opening of the Haub Family Galleries inaugural exhibition from the Haub Family Collection.

The Haub Family Collection includes 295 works of Western American art dating back to 1820 by artists such as E. Martin Hennings, Georgia O’Keeffe, Tom Lovell, and John Clymer (among others). The work was donated by Erivan and Helga Haub and their family, and represents the single largest gift in the museum’s history. The art work will be presented in the Haub Family Galleries, a new wing designed by award-winning architect Tom Kundig of Olson Kundig Architects that doubles the museum’s gallery space.

On Fri., Nov. 14, the Tacoma Art Museum will host the Go West Gala between 6:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. to celebrate the museum while raising money to benefit the museum’s educational programs. Attendees will be offered an exclusive first look at the Haub Family Galleries and the museum’s expansion. Tickets include complimentary valet parking, food catered by El Gaucho, and a fully-hosted bar featuring two signature refreshments created specifically for the museum — New West Bourbon Whiskey created by Heritage Distilling Company and Tacoma New West Cascadian Dark Ale created by Harmon Brewing Company. Tickets are $275 per person and available online here.

On Sat., Nov. 15, the Tacoma Art Museum will host the Go West Grand Opening between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. for the public unveiling of the inaugural exhibition of the Haub Family Collection of Western American Art. The event will include a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live broadcast by 100.7-FM The Wolf, stagecoach rides, interactive artist presentations, author discussions, Native American storytelling and drumming, and live music by Oly Mountain Boys (among other events).

Later that evening, between 7 p.m. and 11 p.m., museum-goers can purchase tickets to the Go West Grand Opening evening festivities, which include live music, food, and dancing. Tickets for the evening festivities are $15 for museum members ($50 for non-members) and available online here.

To read the Tacoma Daily Index’s complete and comprehensive coverage of the Tacoma Art Museum’s expansion project, click on the following links:

The Haub Family Collection includes 295 works of Western American art, including 'Old Santa Fe' by Tom Lovell. (IMAGE COURTESY TACOMA ART MUSEUM)

The Haub Family Collection includes 295 works of Western American art, including ‘Old Santa Fe’ by Tom Lovell. (IMAGE COURTESY TACOMA ART MUSEUM)

The Tacoma Art Museum's Go West Grand Opening will include curator and author talks, followed by a book-signing of 'Art of the American West: Haub Family Collection at Tacoma Art Museum,' which was published by Yale University Press. (PHOTO BY TODD MATTHEWS)

The Tacoma Art Museum’s Go West Grand Opening will include curator and author talks, followed by a book-signing of ‘Art of the American West: Haub Family Collection at Tacoma Art Museum,’ which was published by Yale University Press. (PHOTO BY TODD MATTHEWS)