Bellevue Arts Museum Evolves as Arts-Focused Nonprofit, Sells Downtown Bellevue Building to KidsQuest Children’s Museum

Bellevue Arts Museum Evolves as Arts-Focused Nonprofit, Sells
Downtown Bellevue Building to KidsQuest Children’s Museum
The organization will continue to lead the Bellevue Arts Fair and expand its role, bringing the
arts to spaces and events throughout the city.

BELLEVUE, Wash. — May 18, 2026 — Bellevue Arts Museum (BAM) today announced it has finalized the sale of its building at 510 Bellevue Way NE to KidsQuest Children’s Museum, a fellow Bellevue based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The transaction marks a new chapter for both organizations and launches BAM’s next phase as an agile, community-embedded arts nonprofit that brings exhibitions, programs, and artist-led experiences to audiences across the city.

As part of this transition, BAM will continue its role as a leading arts organization in the Puget Sound region. The organization will produce the beloved Bellevue Arts Fair and expand flagship programs such as curated installations, educational workshops, and other community-centered initiatives that support artists and connect residents and visitors to the arts. The move reflects BAM’s evolution —trading a single address for a citywide footprint that meets audiences where they live, work, and gather.“ This decision is about longevity, relevance, and reach,” said Cassandra Johnston, head of finance and operations for the Bellevue Arts Museum. “By stepping out from behind a single set of walls, BAM can show up in more neighborhoods, partner with more artists, and serve more members of our community. What stays the same is our commitment to championing art and culture, crafts, and artists in Bellevue, and to ensuring the Bellevue Arts Fair and our signature programs continue to thrive for generations to come.”

KidsQuest Children’s Museum, which has served families across the Puget Sound since 2005, will take stewardship of the 510 Bellevue Way NE building as it plans for long-term growth. KidsQuest is excited to build on the building’s legacy as a center for creativity, learning, and cultural enrichment. Through expert-designed, STEAM-based experiences, the space will invite families to learn, play, and discover together. KidsQuest envisions the building as a vibrant, welcoming place where families from across Bellevue and beyond can connect, explore, and grow. KidsQuest plans to move into it’s future home in 2029, and its current doors will remain open until then (1116 108th Ave NE).

“KidsQuest has outgrown our current home, again,” said Putter Bert, President and CEO of KidsQuest Children’s Museum, “We’re thrilled to answer the community’s call to not only double our space, but to double our impact. This next chapter will take a village: we’re launching a $60 million capital campaign to bring the building up to code and to design and build new exhibits where art and science meet, sparking curiosity across generations. Together, we’ll create a welcoming place for the whole family to learn and play, Bellevue’s living room, and truly be the community’s museum.”

The sale is effective immediately. BAM’s administrative team will transition to a distributed operating model in the coming months, with programming continuing uninterrupted, and Johnston will step into the CEO role. Current program participants will receive direct communications regarding upcoming exhibitions, events, and how to stay connected during the transition.

The Bellevue Arts Fair — now in its eighth decade as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most celebrated juried art festivals — will continue under BAM’s leadership, with the 2026 fair proceeding as scheduled. BAM will also continue to commission new work including an expansion online and experiential exhibition that will be announced in June, support local and regional artists, produce educational programming, and partner with schools, libraries, parks, businesses, and civic venues throughout Bellevue to bring the arts into everyday life.

“Bellevue has a rich cultural life, and BAM is choosing to invest back — by being more accessible, more flexible, and more present across our community,” Johnston added. “We are deeply grateful to our donors, artists, and partners who have made this next chapter possible.” Audiences are invited to stay connected as BAM announces its 2026–27 slate of pop-up exhibitions, public programs, and artist collaborations in the weeks ahead. Details on upcoming events, the Bellevue Arts Fair, and ways to support the organization are available at https://www.bellevuearts.org.