Beautiful Boise: The Freak Alley Gallery

Photo by: Ally Metzler

Fun Fact: Aaron Paul, a main character in the hit TV show “Breaking Bad”, was born in Emmet, Idaho. Artist: Dani Lee

By: Ally Metzler, Lead Photographer/Social Media Manager/Staff Reporter

Our next stop on this journey of uncovering Boise’s most beautiful locations is the Freak Alley Gallery. As you walk down this alley, you are transported into a world of imagination as your eyes feast on artwork unlike any other. Located in the heart of Downtown Boise, Freak Alley gives our city a burst of life. The walls, doorways and every nook and cranny throughout the alley act as a blank canvas to artists where they are free to create whatever their ideas may be. Murals are constantly being added; no visit is the same as the last. The Freak Alley Gallery is an ever changing portal to the world of art. 

Blossoming in the year 2002, this alley has since been a home to hundreds of different murals. The true beauty of this alley comes from its infinite individuality. Colby Akers, founder of this non-profit venue, started the bandwagon by simply drawing in a doorway behind Moon’s Kitchen Cafe. Now, the entire alley is covered in eccentric art, hopefully not coming to a halt anytime soon. In 2019, Melissa Nodzu took over, carrying on Akers legacy by continuing to allow murals to blanket the alley. Accommodating the title of the biggest outdoor mural gallery in the Northwest, Freak Alley has much to offer; being an outlet to artists from all walks of life, a place anyone can enjoy without spending a penny and being a place where artistry and reality blend into one. The Freak Alley Gallery is a place where visiting will always be worthwhile. 

Visit their website learn more or to donate so that we can help keep this gallery a destination for years to come.