Established in 1967 by the city's chamber of commerce under the Canadian Centennial projects, the gallery is located in the historic turn of the century Arts and Crafts movement Belrock Mansion of William J.

[1] It was originally known as the Laurentian University Museum and Art Centre, or LUMAC, and adopted its current name in 1997.

In October 2023, the facility was temporarily closed due to structural issues with the interior staircase.

[3][4] As of 2018, the new facility is planned to be colocated with a new main branch of the Sudbury Public Library.

[7] As of 2023, the current proposal would see the combined gallery and library facility located in a portion of Tom Davies Square.