in the University District, it was founded in February, 1927, and was the first public art museum in the state of Washington.

Some years prior, Henry had added gallery space to his own home on Capitol Hill, and from 1917 until the foundation of the Henry Gallery, he effectively operated a wing of his home as a free museum, open to the public 10 hours a week.

[2][3] The Henry's exhibition program is largely devoted to contemporary art and the history of photography.

In 1982, the Henry inherited a sizable collection from the University of Washington's former Costume and Textile Study Center.

The Henry also holds a James Turrell Skyspace, Light Reign, a site-specific immersive sculpture finished in 2003.