Bainbridge Island Museum of Art

Culture in Bainbridge Island, Washington, United States

About

What It Is

The Bainbridge Island Museum of Art (BIMA) is a contemporary art museum situated at 550 Winslow Way E. on Bainbridge Island, Washington, a short distance from the Washington State Ferries terminal ^[1]. The building was designed by Coates Design Architects and opened in 2013 ^[2]. Its focus is on contemporary art and craft produced by artists of the Puget Sound region, and it serves as a cultural center for both Bainbridge Island and the broader Kitsap region ^[1].

Activities & Experiences

Visitors can move through rotating exhibitions drawn from a growing permanent collection, with past and current shows featuring works by artists including Roger Shimomura, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., and George Tsutakawa ^[2]. The museum also hosts lectures, artist panels, music performances, and recurring community events such as Family Day programming and Dia de los Muertos festivities ^[1]. An on-site museum store and bistro are open daily for visitors who want to extend their time at the venue ^[1].

Practical Access

Admission to BIMA is free, supported by members and donors ^[1]. The museum is open daily starting at 10am, with the store open 10am to 5pm and the bistro open 10am to 4pm ^[1]. Its location steps from the ferry terminal makes it directly accessible to visitors arriving by Washington State Ferries from Seattle ^[1].

Restrictions

No specific restrictions noted in the sources.

What Makes It Distinctive

BIMA operates with free general admission, making it broadly accessible without financial barriers ^[1]. Its programming is specifically dedicated to artists of the Puget Sound region, giving it a focused regional identity rather than a general survey approach ^[1]. The museum introduced a biennial artistic award program, the BRAVA Awards, in 2023, adding a recognition and professional development dimension to its community role ^[2].

Sources

Open year-round
Typical duration: 1h
Hours: Mo-Su 10:00-17:00 (as recorded 2026-09-29)

Access & fees

free admission (fee: none)

Things to do

daisy lane residency (medium: printmaking, artists' books)
drop-in drink & draw (schedule: every third Tuesday)
teen zine thursdays (schedule: every third Thursday)

Amenities

bima bistro on-site (hours: 10am–4pm daily)
museum store on-site (hours: 10am–5pm daily)

Events & seasons

brava awards biennial (window: biennial · launched: 2023)
within/earshot jazz festival (format: live jazz · window: one month annually)

Features

opened 2013 (architect: Coates Design Architects)
permanent collection (includes: Artists' Books Collection)
rotating exhibitions (focus: Puget Sound artists)

Good to know

open daily (store hours: 10am–5pm · bistro hours: 10am–4pm)
volunteering available (roles: docent, events, store)

Catalog identifier: AVIA-8G4C-6DC3W