Portland Art Museum

 Portland Art Museum

The Portland Art Museum, located in Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1892, making it one of the oldest art museums on the West Coast and the seventh oldest in the United States.  Following the completion of the most recent renovations, the Portland Art Museum became one of the 25 largest art museums in the United States, with a total of 240,000 square feet (22,000 m2) of gallery space and more than 112,000 square feet (10,400 m2). There are over 42,000 works of art in the permanent collection, and at least one major travelling exhibition is usually on display. The Portland Art Museum has a Native American art center, a Northwest art center, a modern and contemporary art center, permanent Asian art exhibitions, and an outdoor sculpture garden.

History from the beginning

The Portland Art Museum had outgrown its location in the public library by the time of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland in 1905, and had moved into its own building at SW 5th and Taylor. The first exhibition in the new building featured watercolors and paintings from the 1905 Exposition in Portland. The exhibition was organized by curator Henrietta H. Failing (the niece of founder Henry Failing) and New England artist Frank Vincent DuMond.

Afternoon Sky, Harney Desert by American impressionist painter Childe Hassam, who frequented Malheur and Harney counties in Eastern Oregon with his friend C.E.S. Wood, was acquired by the museum three years later, in 1908.

From the beginning, history

By the time of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition in Portland in 1905, the Portland Art Museum had outgrown its location in the public library and had moved into its own building at SW 5th and Taylor. The first exhibition in the new structure featured watercolors and paintings from the Portland Exposition in 1905. Curator Henrietta H. Failing (niece of founder Henry Failing) and New England artist Frank Vincent Drummond organized the exhibition.

Afternoon Sky, Harney Desert by Childe Hassam, who visited Malheur and Harney counties in Eastern Oregon with his friend C.E.S. Wood, was purchased by the museum three years later, in 1908.

Founding:-

The museum's origins can be traced back to 1892, when it was founded as the Portland Art Association.

 Late that year, seven prominent business and cultural leaders in the city formed the association in order to establish a high-quality art museum for the city of 50,000 people. Henry Corbett contributed $10,000 to the organization that funded the museum's first collection (the Corbett Collection), which included 100 plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculptures. Winslow B. Ayer and his wife selected the collection's individual pieces during a trip to Europe. Prior to the trip, curators from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston advised them on which pieces to bring. 

CONVERSATIONS CAN BE HAD HERE

Visitors can visit Museum as a forum for dialogue and contemplation, while staying mindful of the needs of all visitors. Explore the Museum together, look intently, and find a spot to sit and chat about what you see and experience. This Conversation Guide has a few ideas to get you thinking and talking before, during, and after your visit to the Museum.

FREE FOR MEMBERS

$25 Adults

Seniors (62+) and College Students: $22

Children 17 and under are free.

Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.

Obtain tickets

Visits to schools and colleges

The Portland Art Museum and its supporters are dedicated to making the Museum a resource for everyone. Discover more about our Admission Access Programs.

MUSEUM HOURS

Mon	Closed
Tue	Closed
Wed	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Thu	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fri	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sat	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sun	10 a.m. – 5 p.m.