The Buy-A-Bus program started in 2008 and covers the reimbursement of travel to the museum for K-12 grade schools within a 100-mile radius of the museum. The program reaches out to over 300 schools in our impact zone. Funds for Buy-A-Bus ensure that travel costs do not stop schools from visiting an art museum and bringing the wonders of art to the mind of a child.
Take Advantage of the Buy-A-Bus Program!
Buy-A-Bus is a REIMBURSEMENT of costs related to your school busing. To use this program:
- Schedule a tour using our Tour Request Form.
- While filling out the Tour Request Form, select “Yes, we would like to participate in the Buy-A-Bus Reimbursement Program.”
- You will hear back from the museum via email when your Buy-A-Bus request has been approved. At that time you will need to prepare a W-9 and send it to the museum, along with an estimate of what your travel costs will be.
- Arrange your busing through your district/organizer. Once your visit is complete, your district office will send a purchase order to artmuse@wsu.edu and the museum will issue your reimbursement.
History of Buy-A-Bus
The Buy-A-Bus Program began in 2008 with the generous support of Eugene Rosa, who created the Luigi Gastaldo & Flora Brevette Rosa Buy-A-Busload-of-Kids-Program Endowment. Rosa created the endowment in honor of his parents, “who, though of meager education, held it as one of their highest values.”
Eugene Rosa was an environmental sociologist who continuously contributed to Washington State University, and the local community. Rosa’s career was focused on understanding the relationships between technology, the environment, and the social world. As an artist, Rosa created “ecolages,” by re-purposing abandoned objects, and furthered his appreciation of the arts by connecting with the Museum of Art at Washington State University.
Eugene Rosa, who passed away in 2013, frequently visited the art museum. “Many people find art—especially abstract or provocative art—intimidating,” Rosa said. “I wanted to introduce the excitement of the visual arts to people who, because of their isolated location, might never get exposed to art in a museum setting.”
Impact Map
