Ellen Noël Art Museum

Opened in 1985 as the Art Institute for the Permian Basin, the Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin is the culmination of years of grass roots fundraising efforts by Odessans to build a fine arts museum. The Museum was renamed in 1995 to honor the leadership and philanthropy of Mrs. Ellen W. Noël. The museum has four impressive galleries as well as two classrooms, an Art Haus a self directed family space, and a Sculpture and Sensory Garden. The Ellen Noël Art Museum is known for its active exhibitions schedule and outstanding education programming for all ages. As a non-profit organization, the Museum receives its funding from memberships, donations, grants, fundraising events and interest income from an endowment fund. Over 200 volunteers annually serve the Museum in many capacities, ensuring that the Museum's programming remains dynamic, vital and responsive to community needs. The Ellen Noёl Art Museum is one of only a few art museums in the state of Texas that has been granted status as an official Smithsonian Affiliate. The Smithsonian Affiliates program allows selected organizations to have greater access to the millions of artifacts in its renowned collections and to the distinguished educational resources of the 47 museums, libraries, and research centers of the Smithsonian Institution. The goal of the Smithsonian Affiliations program is to share the rich knowledge of the Smithsonian Institution with a broader audience, adhering to the Smithsonian’s highest aesthetic, intellectual and professional standards. The Ellen Noël Art Museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums since 2005.