With the opening of the Rebecca and Jack Benaroya Wing, we here at the Tacoma Art Museum could not be more proud of our shiny, new gallery spaces. The galleries still have that new paint smell. And, of course, there are plenty of new works of art for our visitors to enjoy.
Ever since the project was first announced back in 2016, the Tacoma Art Museum Store wanted to create a way for our community members to own a piece of our museum’s history. We wanted to give our loyal patrons something tangible, a unique gift to commemorate the latest chapter in our shared story. The solution was quite literally staring us in the face on our drive to work every day, right off of Hood Street: vinyl signage hung up on the construction fencing to dress up a messy space. The signs featured images with mockups of the new building, photography depicting local artists, and works of art created by youth participants in one of our many education programs. Which is why we were so thrilled to partner with Ecologic Designs in Boulder, CO. It’s no secret that the construction industry as a whole has to manage millions of tons of waste accumulated during projects. Ecologic Designs helps those businesses divert tons of waste from landfills by upcycling and recycling old materials; and, they were able to convert our unassuming site decorations into one-of-a-kind bags that will last a lifetime.
Due to the availability of materials, only a limited number of bags were produced, making the purchase of each tote bag a piece of the museum’s, and Tacoma’s, history. Order online or stop by the museum shop to pick yours up today.