Eccles Community Art Center in Ogden, UT

Posted in Free Activities / Museums
Updated January 28, 2026

There is a pretty cool art museum in Ogden. This one is free to visit and houses all kinds of visual art. Best of all, the museum itself is a very old mansion. The tour of the house, even without the paintings, sculptures, and other pieces is well worth the visit. If you are in the area, make sure to stop at the Eccles Community Art Center in Ogden.

History of the building

The Eccles family is one of the best known names in Utah, and you’ll find their legacy on everything from theaters, to museums, to college campuses. David and Bertha Eccles were Utah’s first multi-millionaires, but above that, they were incredible philanthropists who supported many of Utah’s school and artistic ventures. The reason that matters, is that the Eccles lived in this house with their family for several decades. Near the end, Bertha insisted that the house be donated for this purpose.

You will love walking through this old home.

What to see

The museum is beautiful, and there is plenty to see on all three floors. Each of the rooms is filled, mostly with rotating art exhibits, but some effort has been made to maintain the grand staircase, wood paneling, and high ceilings of the original structure. It only takes about 30 minutes to an hour inside the house to see the museum, but it is worth the stop.

There were a bunch of old cameras on display.

The mix of the old house and the art is great.

When we visited the house was decorated for Halloween, so there were skeletons all over. The art was also focused on Halloween type displays. It is fun to walk through the Eccles Community Art Center and enjoy the old home, but also admire all of the art hanging throughout the house.

One room had a bunch of art of the actual museum building.

It is fun that there are so many levels.

The views out the turret windows are nice.

After you have enjoyed the inside of the mansion, make sure to walk around the grounds. There are a few statues located behind the building, and seeing the turrets and towers of this grand mansion that dates all the way back to 1893 is very interesting.

The outside grounds are worth walking, too.

The Eccles Community Art Center in Ogden is an easy stop and a great way to show your kids a simple, free art museum. We also have a post of 60 FREE museums all over Utah. You can see the full list here.