[1] Operating in a region where the established museums emphasized Western genre art and historic artifacts, staff and volunteer leadership early on defined an alternate, wide-ranging mission.

[4] Pride in the growing permanent collection (now numbering over 7,400 works of historic and contemporary regional art), has grown steadily as the YAM has matured.

A concerted effort has been made to collect work from outstanding regional artists ranging from the internationally celebrated Rudy Autio, John Buck, Deborah Butterfield, Isabelle Johnson, Richard Notkin, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Ted Waddell, and Patrick Zentz, to lesser-known and emerging artists.

[6] In 2009, the YAM was proud to be the Montana recipient of a gift of 50 works of minimalist and conceptual art from the internationally significant collection of Herbert and Dorothy Vogel.

In February 1998, the newly renamed Yellowstone Art Museum reopened its doors after two years of renovation and new construction.

In 2003, 2007, and 2010, the YAM received three-year grants from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in support of its art education programs, both on-site and outreach.

Lectures featuring nationally known contemporary artists and critics, gallery talks, and special events are the main programs for the adult audience.

The YAM achieved 147% of the goal by the deadline of 31 December 2007 and used the Bair Trust's challenge grant as the launching point for another major fundraising campaign.

Artists-in-residence have included Tracy Linder, Brian Keith Scott, Brooke Atherton, Carol Spielman, John Pollock and Bently Spang.