Mission Statement

The Ellen Noël Art Museum of the Permian Basin connects people with art by engaging our

community through exhibitions, education, collections and outreach.

History

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 Noël Art Museum has been accredited by the American Association of Museums since 2005.

Smithsonian Affiliates Program

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. 

Current Smithsonian Affiliate Program works on display at the Ellen Noël Art Museum include Barbara Hepworth’s Sea Form (Porthmeor), 1958, bronze and Robert Adams’ Upright Leaf Forms, 1957, iron. Both artworks are on long term loan from the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institute, Washington DC.

West Texas Triangle

Created in 2006, the West Texas Triangle is a consortium that provides opportunities for museums to promote their unique collections to a wider audience, to exchange professional dialogue and promote each other’s institutions. West Texas Triangle participants include the Grace Museum in Abilene, the Old Jail Art Center in Albany, the Museum of the Southwest in Midland, the Ellen Noël Art Museum in Odessa and the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in San Angelo.

www.thegracemuseum.org

www.theoldjailartcenter.org

www.museumsw.org

www.samfa.org

Board of Trustees

Paula Barnett
President

Stephanie Latimer
President Elect

Mark Germer
Vice President of Finance

Megan Gossett
Vice President of Development

Nancy Boles
Vice President of Fundraising

Betty Harrold
Secretary

Bryan Murry
Treasurer

Kaylie Banda
Past-President

Dillon Noel
Member at Large

Lissa Noël Wagner
Honorary Lifetime Member

Cy Wagner Bergner, Sandra Blaydes, Nancy Boles, Ashley Cox, Paige Felker, Carmen Ferrer, Bobby Florez, Trudy Lewis, Joe Moya, Liz Roberson, Craig Stoker, Craig L Van Amburgh, Chip Wagner, Sherwood Noël Wagner, Dr. Joe Weaks

A regional art museum with three galleries that total almost 20,000 square feet. The Museum's facilities provide universal access.

McKnight Gallery

The McKnight Gallery showcases work from the Ellen Noël Art Museum’s collection. Works exhibited include: Tom Lea’s Stampede, 1940, oil on canvas (adhered to board); Peter Hurd’s, J. Lee Johnson, Jr., 1961, egg tempera on board; and Frank Gervasi’s, The Pink House-Alpine, TX, late 1970s, oil on canvas.  

This 1600 sq. foot gallery is available for event rentals.

 Nelda Lee Gallery

The Nelda Lee Gallery is a 1540 sq. foot, triangular shaped gallery used primarily for temporary exhibitions.  

 Patron's/Rodman Gallery

At 2400 sq. feet, the Rodman Gallery is the Museum’s largest temporary exhibition space and is adjacent to the Patron’s Gallery. When not utilized for temporary exhibitions, the Patron’s Gallery (1800 sq. feet), showcases contemporary work from the Ellen Noël Art Museum’s collection. These two exhibition spaces may be joined to facilitate larger exhibitions.  

These galleries (4,200 sq. feet) are available for event rentals subject to availability.

In addition to the four Galleries, the Museum also has a secured receiving area, collection storage vaults, two classrooms,

the Nancy Chambers Library for reference and reading, and an administrative office wing.

A space created for hands-on learning

Art Haus is a self directed family space next to the Museum’s galleries where families, senior citizens and college students can find a book, a video, a computer CD ROM, a printed gallery guide, an interactive game, or a hands-on art activity designed to enhance understanding and appreciation of the current exhibit or the Museum’s permanent collections.

The George and Milly Rhodus Sculpture & Sensory Garden offers a space that is completely accessible and user friendly to visually and physically challenged visitors. Through design consultation with the Texas Commission for the Blind, the County Extension Service, and Permian Basin Master Gardeners, the garden features raised beds with fragrant flowers and tactile plants along with wheelchair ramps, railings and raised letter signage and sculpture that can be touched. 

Artwork featured in the Garden includes works by Jesus Morales, Rosalind Cook, Danville Chadbourne and Jo Saylors. The children’s’ Little Free Library that was sponsored by the Junior League of Odessa, Inc and was completed by Kansas City artist David Eames of Fossil Forge. An additional Little Free Library that features books for adults was installed in 2017. 

Set your event apart from the everyday.  The Ellen Noël Art Museum is a unique location for weddings, anniversary celebrations, holiday parties, and family gatherings as well as corporate events.  The Museum may be rented in its entirety or by gallery/room.  The Sensory Garden is also available for rentals and with its lit trees, is a breath-taking venue for an outdoor evening event.  

Museum staff are available to discuss the many options available and will work with you to customize your perfect event. 

For rental information, please contact Fay Batch at cec@noelartmuseum.org or 432.550.9696 x 211.