It has four galleries, which contains a permanent collection mainly from regional artists, as well as room for traveling art exhibits.

Their donation, combined with others, allowed the museum to be constructed in Central Park on the southeast side of downtown.

Primarily the museum would showcase the work of local artists and occasionally a traveling art show.

[1] In 1990, the museum was transferred from the city to the Bakersfield Art Foundation, an independent governing agency.

In 1997, with major endowments from Patricia Crail Brown Foundation and the late Dr. George and Millie Ablin, the museum started a campaign to expand.