Spend some time exploring area galleries, museums

In addition to Salt Lake City's spectacular scenery and historical sites, conference visitors might want to spend some time perusing the city's art galleries and museums; many are within walking distance from downtown.

Utah's historical and contemporary art markets embrace all styles of visual art, making for hours of stimulating and educational diversion.

Getting to some of the galleries and museums, however, will require a car to travel short distances. Still other venues, such as the Brigham Young University Museum of Art and the Springville Museum of Art, will necessitate a 30- to 40-minute drive.

GALLERIES/MUSEUMS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE FROM TEMPLE SQUARE

Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, has Dale Chihuly's "Olympic Tower," a spire of red glass on par with any of Chihuly's best.

Alice Merrill Horne Gallery, 617 E. South Temple, 236-7555, is exhibiting 20 Western landscapes from the State Art Collection.

Main Street Gallery, 299 S. Main, 535-4660, features paintings by Kent Wallis, Scott Wallis and Eric Wallis.

Museum of Church History and Art, 45 N. West Temple, 240-2299, features art that defines LDS Church history.

Museum of Utah Art & History, 125 S. Main, 355-5554, has "Living Beautifully in Utah — Folk Art in Utah."

Salt Lake Art Center, 20 S. West Temple, 328-4201, is showing "Resonance and Return: Social Documentary Photography, 1935 — Present."

Southam Gallery, 50 E. Broadway, 322-0376, has landscapes, still lifes and more by local artists.

Tivoli Gallery, 255 S. State, 521-6288, features original works by local and national artists.

Williams Fine Art, Main lobby in the Eagle Gate Plaza, 60 E. South Temple, 534-0331, specializes in early Utah artists like John Hafen, Lee Greene Richards, LeConte Stewart and more, including many contemporary painters.

GALLERIES/MUSEUMS FARTHER AFIELD BUT STILL CLOSE

Art Access, 230 S. 500 West, 328-0703, features contemporary paintings by Lindsay Frei.

Art Barn/Finch Lane Gallery, 54 Finch Lane, 596-5000, has woodcuts, etchings, lithography, screen prints, letterpress and monotypes by 25 Utah printmakers.

Bingham Gallery, 1074 E. 2100 South, 832-9220, specializes in artwork by American artists of the past 100 years, with special emphasis on Maynard Dixon.

David Ericson Fine Art, 418 S. 200 West, 533-8245, has recent paintings by Edie Roberson and many works by famous local artists.

F. Weixler Gallery, 132 E St., 534-1014, features contemporary and early Utah art by Valoy Eaton, Harrison Groutage, Frank Huff, Earl Jones, Dennis Smith and more.

Phillips Gallery, 444 E. 200 South, 364-8284, is displaying new paintings by Carolyn Coalson and ceramic vessels by Dorothy Bearnson.

Rio Gallery, 300 S. 455 West, 533-3582, is showing the "2007 Visual Arts Fellowship Exhibition," featuring art by fellowship winners Mark England, Jacqui Larsen, Amy Caron and Kaiti Slater.

Utah Museum of Fine Arts, University of Utah, South Campus Drive, 581-7332, has "Brian Kershisnik: Painting From Life" and "Bill Viola: Quintet of Remembrance" video installation. There are also "The Art of the West: Reinterpreting Western Images" and "Africa: The Arts of a Continent," featuring works from the museum's permanent collection.

GALLERIES/MUSEUMS AT A GREATER DISTANCE

Eccles Community Art Center, 2580 Jefferson Ave., Ogden, 392-6935, has the "15th Statewide Photographic Competition" and photographs from the Ogden Camera Club print competition.