Camp Fannin during World War II, and later manufacturing plants, also attributed to the local economy and its resulting population growth.

For the next eight years, a group of volunteer League women who called themselves the Picture Ladies formed a type of mobile museum.

[3] The architectural firm of E. Davis Wilcox and Associates designed the new 17,000 square feet (1,600 m2) two-story museum, which had its grand opening on April 1, 1971, on the east side of the Tyler Junior College.

Encouragement is given to local student artists through the museum's sponsorship of the annual high school art exhibition.

[2] The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday: 10 am-5pm, Sunday: 1pm-5pm, closed Mondays and holidays admission fee applies.