It is located in the Joseph Vilas Jr. House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The house is a significant example of Queen Anne style architecture in the United States.

[1] One of six remaining original fireplaces is located in the room, and it contains fluted columns, floral swags, and dentils.

The John P. Nash memorial library is located at the top of the stairwell on the house's second floor.

The room contains a bay window, mantel, and a marbel wash basin behind a paneled door.

[4] Another wing was added in 1986 to display and store a permanent collection of American art donated by the Wests.

[1] The museum's permanent collection holds pieces by Georgia O'Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Picasso, Isidore Bonheur, Eyvind Earle, Milton Avery and Myron Barlow.

Drawing from a pool of registrations, eventually over thirty displays are arranged in the two 1975 gallery's west of the mansion, during the six weeks.

[clarification needed] On September 5, 1962, a 20-pound (9.1 kg) piece of the 7 ton Sputnik 4 crashed on North Eighth Street east of the museum.