(Photo by Anna Holdorf)
Established in 1985 as a small museum operating in the historic Cyrus Jacobs-Uberuaga House, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center now provides an active central location for maintaining the Basque culture in the United States. According to the Museum's official website, its mission is "to perpetuate, to preserve, and to promote awareness of Basque history and culture through education, research, collections and social activities for present and future generations." The Museum does this through the tangible exhibits and collections that it offers, as well as the "gathering place for events and educational opportunities" that it provides in order that all Boise residents and visitors can learn about Basque culture and history.
The Museum's collections hold oral histories, music, and other audio files; books and manuscripts; photograph collections; and many other artifacts representing the history of Basque life in Boise. In addition to the material resources that it provides, the Basque Museum and Cultural Center offers many programs and events. The Center holds language classes for euskara, the Basque language. It sponsors various presentations about significant aspects of Basque history; these change frequently, and have included educational presentations on topics such as Basque customs and the sport of handball, or pelota. In addition, the Museum offers the option for guided tours for school groups or other tour groups.
The Basque Museum and Cultural Center is located downtown on Grove Street's Basque Block. It is open from 10:00am to 4:00pm Tuesday through Friday, and Saturdays from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Admission prices are as follows: Adults - $5 Seniors (65+) - $4 Students - $4 Children (6-12) - $3 Children (5 & under) – Free BMCC Members – Free with membership card
When you have taken in the vast number of exhibits, activities, and resources that the Basque Museum and Cultural Center has to offer, you can take advantage of the museum store that sells items including Basque games, books and CDs, clothing and jewelry, and crafts. You can also become a member of the Museum—a benefit that, with the payment of yearly dues, allows you to receive 10% off purchases from the museum store as well as free admission.
