The Eccles Art Center, just off 25th street on Jefferson in Ogden, is a treasure that many people in the Weber County area don’t even realize exists. It’s a huge, beautiful red building that looks like a castle. Currently, it’s an art museum, which is fitting since the original owner, Bertha Eccles, loved art and even used one of the upstairs hallways as an art gallery. The Eccles Art Center only shows art created by Utah artists, and they change the art regularly. Only the permanent collection, housed on the top floor and chosen by the staff as their favorites, stays. All four floors of the mansion hold beautiful still-life, landscape, and portrait paintings on nearly every wall, with a sculpture garden in the courtyard. Most of the sculptures were created to honor someone who has passed away, and their sweet symbolism is almost reverent. The house itself is also a work of art. It was built in the late 1800s, but with many features that made it futuristic for its time. It has a skylight made of stained glass that has survived to this day with only a little reinforcement. A central vacuum system was in place almost 70 years before such a thing started showing up in other homes. There are hidden compartments and secret stairs, long and steep, but my favorite part is the balcony off the master bedroom. It’s part of the rounded turret that makes the home look so castle-like. The house and the art work are both something everyone should see, in every season. In the spring and summer it has beautiful landscaping, and during the holiday season it is decorated with gorgeous Christmas trees throughout the house. Admission is free. In addition to being able to tour this masterpiece there is an offering of all kinds of classes – including African dance, ballet, yoga, and many different art classes in all price ranges for all different ages.
