The Basque Museum & Cultural Center | Boise, ID

Mus Tournament
2025-05-03 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Boise)
Basque Museum’s NABO-qualifying Mus Tournament will be held May 3.
Registration and breakfast will begin at 8am, play starts at 9am.
Cost is $45 per player. Membership through 2025 is also required. Your fees cover NABO Mus fees, breakfast and lunch.
The winning team/teams will represent the Basque Museum at the NABO Mus Tournament in Los Banos, California on Saturday, June 14.

Paint & Sip
2025-04-09 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-08 18:00 - 20:00

Spirit Dog: Basques, Sheep & the Dogs who Made History
2024-12-12 19:00 - 20:30
“The Basques, the Sheep and the Dogs who Made History”, is a passion project born of personal history.

This film presentation illustrates how the Basques helped settle the American West, the sheep some herders tended to, and the dogs with a Basque connection. An Idaho man, Jay Sisler of Emmett, then made the Australian Shepherd dogs famous with his rodeo acts.

Andrea Scott is proud of being raised by a Basque woman in Shoshone, Idaho. Scott is an Idaho native, and former news reporter and public relations specialist.
She has had a farm and raised sheep for almost 40 years.

She now concentrates on special projects to help inform and educate those who are interested in a wide range of topics. Currently, she is working on a book that takes place in the American West.

Pilota Invitational Tournament
2024-11-01 14:00 - 2024-11-02 17:00 | Anduiza Fronton, 619 W Grove Street, Boise, Idaho, 83702
Stop by the Anduiza Fronton Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2 to see players from Boise and San Francisco battle for the title of Fall Invitational Champ!

Margotu 'ta Trago - Paint & Sip
2024-10-23 18:00 - 2024-10-24 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Back by popular demand – Margotu ‘ta Trago – Paint & Sip Night at the Basque Museum!
We have two nights to choose from with smaller groups to work more with our leader, artist, Marianne Schaffeld. October 23 (Wednesday) and October 24 (Thursday) at 6pm at the Basque Museum. Limit of 12 people per class.
Contact us for a member discount on this class!
We will working on arborglyphs and learning a little about what they are are why they are so important to Basque-American history & culture.
Get tickets here!

Annual Membership Meeting
2024-06-18 18:00 - 20:00
Our annual membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 18 at 6pm. We will have a brief presentation of 2023’s activities and financials as well as information and updates on upcoming programs and projects. There will be drinks and light pintxos for attendees. We look forward to seeing you there.

Boiseko Ikastola Block Party
2024-05-18 11:00 - 14:00
Join us on the Basque Block for the final Boiseko Ikastola 25th Anniversary party! There will be food and drink (for kids & adults), games, face painting, a photo booth, bounce houses, art projects, and more! This event is free and open to the public.
May 18 11am – 2pm

Etulain Book Tour
2024-04-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Dr. Richard Etulain will start his five-day book tour at the Basque Museum on April 13 at 2pm. His presentation, entitled “The Basques: Mystery People of the American West” will include his book “Boyhood Among the Woolies: Growing Up on a Basque Sheep Ranch”. There will be books available for sale at the event, or you can purchase them in the Museum Store. For more information, including additional stops on his tour, click here.

Agate Deuna - Saint Agatha - Santa Ageda
2024-02-08 18:00 - 19:30 | Basque Block, 611 Grove St., Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Come on down to the Basque Block on Thursday, February 8 to celebrate Agate Deuna – Santa Ageda – Saint Agatha! We’ll be meeting at 6pm in the Basque Center to learn a bit more about the festivity and practice the song. At 6:30, we’ll move out onto the Block to sing songs in honor of the saint.

Eguberriko Azoka - Basque Christmas Market
2023-12-03 11:00 - 16:00 | Basque Block, 611 Grove St., Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Please join us on the Basque Block on Sunday, December 3 from 11am to 4pm for our annual Eguberriko Azoka, or Basque Christmas Market. There will be food and drink, vendors from near and far, and activities for the kids.
More information to come, but if you have any questions or would like to be a vendor, contact us to apply.

Ikastola Night at Bardenay
2023-10-16 17:00 - 21:00 | Bardenay
Join us Monday, October 16 between 5:00 and 9:00pm at Bardenay in downtown Boise as we start celebrating 25 years at Boiseko Ikastola and help raise funds for the only Basque language preschool outside the Basque Country.
A portion of sales at Bardenay from 5-9pm that evening will go to Boiseko Ikastola to assist in their programming, supplies’ expenses, and providing superior multi-lingual education to its students.
We look forward to gathering with you!

First Thursday
2023-10-05 10:00 - 16:00
First Thursday at the Basque Museum means FREE ADMISSION to the Museum all day. This month, we will be open 10am – 4pm. We just opened a couple new exhibits this summer, so stop by and check them out.

AI, Technology, and Euskara: A Practical Approach to Subtitling, Translating, and Dubbing
2023-09-21 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Join us September 21st at 6pm for a special presentation by Dr. Igor Leturia and Professor Nere Lete.
The presentation will include a talk by Igor Leturia on the importance of language and speech technologies for minority languages like Basque, as well as a showcase of the technology used in such research. Then, a selection from a series of ETB documentaries about the Basque diaspora in the United States, subtitled and translated into English by Nere Lete.

Ikastola Exhibit Opening
2023-09-07 18:00 - 20:30 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Join us for the exhibit opening of “Euskaraz Bizi Nahi Dut: 25 Years of Boiseko Ikastola.” This exhibit celebrates the past 25 years of the preschool – the only Basque language-immersion school located outside of the Basque Country. The evening will include opening remarks and discussion about the origins of the Ikastola, followed by time to explore the exhibit, reminisce with old friends, and learn more about the history behind this wonderfully unique school. Light refreshments will be provided. The event is free and open to the public.

Winefest 2023
2023-08-26 17:00 - 20:00
Tickets are on sale now!
We are so excited to invite you to the Basque Block for Winefest 2023 on Saturday, August 26 from 5-8pm. Cost is $75 per person. This year, we are only selling 300 tickets, so get them before it is too late. All participants will have access to:

commemorative wine glasses
access to nearly 100 wines & their knowledgeable pourers
pintxos/small bites from local entities (Bar Gernika, Bardenay, The Basque Market, Leku Ona and more)
deep discounts on wine purchases
live music and Basque dance performance
Get the wine party back to the Basque Block!

Purchase Tickets Here!

"Private Correspondence and Migration History: The Basque Case" - A Presentation by Argitxu Camus Etchecopar
2023-08-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Curious about early Basque migration? Join us on Wednesday, August 16th for a presentation by Argitxu Camus Etchecopar titled “Private Correspondence and Migration History: The Basque Case.”

This event is free and open to the public. We will livestream the presentation via Facebook Live.

Boiseko Ikastola's 25th Anniversary Party at Payette Brewing
2023-08-14 18:00 - 22:00
Gather with us on Monday, August 14 at Payette Brewing as we raise funds for Boiseko Ikastola and celebrate its 25th Anniversary! 6-10pm
proceeds from the evening will go directly to boiseko Ikastola. This includes the food trucks at the event!
there will be a performance by the Oinkari Basque Dancer and music by the Kalimotxo Cowboys!

"Basque Women's Migration Experiences in the American West" - A Presentation by Edurne Arostegui
2023-07-13 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Join us Thursday, July 13th at 6pm for a presentation entitled “Basque Women’s Migration Experiences in the American West” by the Museum’s very own Edurne Arostegui.
Free and open to the public.

Running of the Bars 2023
2023-07-08 17:00 - 22:00
Join us on the Basque Block July 8 for Running of the Bars 5-10pm!
A Pub Crawl, San Fermin-Style! Get out your whites, and grab that red scarf! We look forward to having a kalimotxo (or whatever your drink of choice) with you! This year, we are so excited to have members of Amerikanuak playing live for us on the Basque Block!
What is Running of the Bars?
ROTB is a pub crawl in downtown Boise that starts on the Basque Block, includes bars like the Basque Center, Leku Ona, Grainey’s, Cactus, Whiskey Bar, & Silly Birch. Participants can take part in a special activity at each bar (shearing sheep, roping a bull, carrying weights, trivia, etc.), have a beverage or two with your friends, and then join us back on the Basque Block for dancing, food and more drinks! OH! AND it’s a fundraiser for the Basque Museum & its educational programs!
How do I Sign Up?
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT EVENT $30

If you would like a shirt for this years’ event click on the link below!

Pretty easy, but call the Museum at 208-343-2671 or e-mail teresaf@basquemuseum.eus if you have any questions!

What is the Cost?
The cost via Bonfire is $40 per person and includes a shirt, cup, drink & chorizo; and the cost without the shirt (through the Museum link) is $25 and includes everything except the shirt. Tickets available at the event will be $30.
What do I Get When I Sign Up?
Again, it depends on how you sign up, but everyone will get a cup, drink, chorizo and access to all the event fun like the bar games and drink specials. The only difference is if you want a shirt or not. Up to you. It is a fundraiser for the Museum so we make a little off the shirt sign ups as well as the non-shirt sign ups.
You can also purchase a Running of the Bars neck scarf (pañuelo) and other items at the event, only if you want.

What if I Don’t Want to Do the Pub Crawl?
That is okay! You can still sign up and hang on the Basque Block while others run to the bars. There will be some live music and other things happening on the Block to keep you busy! (cost is still the same)
Tell Me More!
This fun for all (21+ of course) event is a great opportunity to get downtown, enjoy some great food and music, and support the Basque Museum & Cultural Center, the only of its kind outside the Basque Country!
Tentative Schedule
5pm – Event Start – Check in, get your goodies (your shirt will be shipped to you, but the other goodies will be at check-in), and start heading to the bars!
Other info is still being confirmed like how much our band will be playing music, etc.
8:30pm – Raffle drawing (for those that participated & finished the pub crawl)

Idaho Gives
2023-05-01 00:00 - 2023-05-04 23:59
Get ready to give! On May 1st – 4th, visit idahogives.org and make a donation to us and/or to any of the great participating nonprofit organizations in your community. All giving will end at 11:59 PM on May 4, so make sure to get your gift in on time!
Give to the Basque Museum or any one of the MANY Idaho non-profits!
Have you dreamed of making history? Of course, we all have. And now we have a chance to be a part of your community’s day of giving – an opportunity to unite our community around causes in which we truly believe and help nonprofit organizations connect to the larger community.
More information on idahogives.org

BMCC Mus Tournament
2023-04-22 08:00 - 17:00
NABO-Qualifying Mus Tournament
Saturday, April 22
Registration at 8am, play at 9am
Cost per person:
Membership – $25+ (membership levels vary)
Mus Fee – $15
Breakfast/Lunch – $20
TOTAL – $60+
Contact Annie with questions or to sign up early.

"Inventing the Basque Block" - A Presentation by Gretchen Hill
2023-04-14 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Please join us on Friday, April 14 at 6pm at the Basque Museum for a presentation by Gretchen Hill entitled: “Inventing the Basque Block.”
Free and open to the public.

Benefit Dinner & Auction
2023-04-01 18:00 - 21:00
Mark your calendars for April 1 to celebrate & raise funds for the Basque Museum & Boiseko Ikastola!
This year, we will have a delicious dinner by chef Asier Garcia and Leku Ona, live & silent auction, heritage award and more! We will not only be celebrating 37 successful years for the Basque Museum, but kicking off the 25th anniversary celebrations for Boiseko Ikastola! Tickets are limited, so get them while you can!
Tickets available here!

Irulegiko Eskua: How a treasure from the past can help us understand Basque new-speakerism in contemporary Nafarroa
2023-03-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Please join us on Thursday, March 16 at 6pm for “Irulegiko Eskua: How a treasure
from the past can help us understand Basque new-speakerism in contemporary
Nafarroa,” a presentation by Eukene Franco-Landa, PhD Candidate at the University
of Miami.
Irulegiko eskua is an archeological find from the 1st century BC, presented to the
public in 2022. It is a bronze hand-shaped plank with what looks to be a Basque text.
It was found recently in the south of Iruñea, where Basque keeps being denied as a
local language. How can a historical finding like this contribute to social change and
a path to officiality?

Basque Dance, A Danced Story - Presentation by Josu Garate & Oier Araolaza
2023-02-23 18:00 - 20:00 | The Basque Center, 601 W. Grove Street, Boise, 83702
Please join us on February 23 at the Basque Center for a presentation by the dance specialists Josu Garate and Oier Araolaza entitled “Basque Dance, A Danced Story.” This event will be livestreamed.

Garate is a professor of traditional Basque dance at Dantzerti, the Higher School of Dramatic Art and Dance of the Education Department of the Basque Government, and belongs to the Kezka Dantza Taldea of Eibar, the brotherhood of sword dancers of the Virgin of Arrate, and accompanies the Argia dance group under the instruction of Juan Antonio Urbeltz.

Araolaza heads the Kezka dance group and also performs with the group Argia. He holds a PhD in Social Communication from the University of the Basque Country, and his research deals with the study of gender identity in traditional Basque Dance. In addition to this, he is the editor of the dantzan.eus newsletter and has multiple publications.

This event is a collaboration with Oinkari Basque Dancers and NABO Education.

Gernika: Genealogy of a Lie - Presentation by Xabier Irujo
2023-02-16 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Xabier Irujo will be presenting “Gernika: Genealogy of a Lie” on February 16 at 6pm at the Basque Museum, in collaboration with Boise State Basque Studies. For those of you unable to attend, the presentation will be livestreamed via Facebook Live.

Historiography has been crucial in elucidating the truth of what happened in Gernika on April 26, 1937. Falsehoods are common in historical narratives, but historians—since the seventeenth century—have been laying the methodological foundations to detect and confront them in order to build a story based on evidence instead of simple conjectures. Irujo’s research follows the long tradition of uncovering the truth started by Noel Monks, George Steer, and Christopher Watson on the day Gernika was bombed.

This lecture constitutes a practical and substantive contribution to discerning the difference between history based on partial and limited evidence that provide only a restricted and selective view of the facts, and that of a history that serves the truth, justice, and the memory of victims. A story that helps avoid future suffering, a story that avoids wars. Lies endure, but truth comes to light.

Choir Performance at Capitol
2022-12-14 16:00 - 16:30 | Idaho State Capitol Building, 700 W Jefferson Street, Boise, 83702, United States
Biotzetik Choir will be performing at the Statehouse on Wednesday, December 14 at 4pm!

Holiday Parade with Boiseko Ikastola
2022-12-03 10:00 - 12:00
Cheer the txikis on as they participate in the Boise Holiday Parade December 3 at 10am in downtown Boise

1,000 Years of Legal Status: Women as Subjects of the Law in Medieval Basque Country
2022-11-03 18:00 - 20:00 | Basque Museum, 601 W Grove St, Boise, ID, 83702, United States
Please join us for a presentation by Xabier Irujo on “1,000 Years of Legal Status: Women as Subjects of the Law in Medieval Basque Country.”
Thursday, November 3
6:00 PM
Basque Museum & Cultural Center
