About – Art Museum of Southeast Texas

Mission Statement

Through unique collections, exhibitions, public programs and outreach in the visual arts, the mission of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas is to provide education, inspiration and creative vision throughout Southeast Texas.

Our Vision

To enhance the community through art education and to be an essential resource partner for the visual arts through Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Sustainability (IDEAS) in every aspect of AMSET operations.

Our Purpose

The purpose of the Art Museum of Southeast Texas is to collect, preserve, exhibit and interpret the visual arts with special attention to the fine and folk arts of the 19th-21st centuries by providing for conservation, preservation and exhibition of collections including docent-led tours, publications, symposia, film, lectures, and interdisciplinary programs.

Our History

Incorporated in the state of Texas on September 14, 1950, the Beaumont Art Museum was originally housed on the lower floor of a two-story rented house on Calder Avenue in Beaumont. In September of 1956, the S. Perry Brown family donated funds to build a facility on the Southeast Texas State Fairgrounds. This building now houses the Beaumont Art League. In 1969, the family of J. Crooke Wilson donated their estate to the City of Beaumont for the purpose of housing the Beaumont Art Museum. The donation was contingent upon the City of Beaumont providing professional direction and a dedicated educational focus to the Museum. The five-acre property was located in Old Town, Beaumont’s historic district. On September 10, 1987, after completing a comprehensive capital drive which brought in $4.2 million, the Beaumont Art Museum was re-born as the Art Museum of Southeast Texas and found its current home at 500 Main Street in Beaumont.

Financial Documents

Each year, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas’ financials are audited by an independent CPA, whose practice includes both large and small museums and nonprofits, then submitted to the State Attorney General’s office as required by law. Our most current Form 990 can be viewed below. The Art Museum of Southeast Texas is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit.

This is a federal tax statement filed with the Internal Revenue Service.

Click to view Form 990