Asheville Art Museum

Forced to move out of the donated bank building space, the museum purchased property at 152 Pearson Drive (the Gay Green House) in the Montford Area Historic District of Asheville, and exhibitions became more regional in scope.

That facility includes 12,000 square feet (1,100 m2) of space in the Pack Place Education, Arts & Science Center complex in downtown Asheville.

A modest capital expansion, completed in 1999, added space from Pack Place and the adjacent Legal Building, creating new classroom and studio facilities, an art library, a teacher resource center, a community gallery and a new entrance.

[4][5] The first public art installation in the plaza is the six-foot diameter chiseled glass orb entitled "Reflections on Unity" by the artist Henry Richardson.

[16] Following a six-month search the museum board hired Edwin (Ed) Ritts, Jr., whose directorship from 1980 to 1995 included achieving accreditation, expanding beyond local and regional art, moving to Pack Place, and increasing staff size.

[21] In 2022 the Asheville Art Museum was accused by former employees and trustees of promoting a toxic work environment, lack of transparency, and board issues.

[22][23][24] Twenty-nine current and former staff members called for the museum's director Pam Myers to be removed, citing verbal and emotional abuse, sexual harassment, and bullying among their negative experiences.