Portland Art Museum
Major exhibitions complement the museum’s strong Native American and Northwest collections.
Know Before You Go
Due to construction, the Portland Art Museum’s permanent collection galleries are closed; however, smaller, specialized exhibits are on view. Find more information on current exhibitions and ticket prices.
The Portland Art Museum is the largest art museum in Oregon and one of the oldest in the country. Located in two historic buildings on Portland’s South Park Blocks, the museum is central to the city’s cultural district and houses a large and wide-ranging art collection.
Tips for Visiting the Portland Art Museum
How do I get to the Portland Art Museum?
The Tri-Met bus and Portland Streetcar travel directly past the Museum, and the MAX light rail has a stop only four blocks away.
Is there parking available?
The closest private lot is Central City Parking at SW 10th and Main.
Do I need to reserve tickets in advance?
How much does the Portland Art Museum cost?
- $25 for adults (18 and over)
- $22 for seniors 62+ and college students
- Free for children 17 and under
Special exhibition and program fees may apply.
Details are subject to change; please check the Portland Art Museum website for current information.
Portland Art Museum Campus and History
First organized in 1892, the museum’s first exhibition was a set of magnificent plaster casts of Greek and Roman sculpture, now displayed in the upper hall of the city’s library. In 1932, the museum moved into the primary building, designed by Pietro Belluschi: a gracious contemporary update of the Georgian style, sleek-lined and advanced in its ideas. The museum’s renovation of the Masonic Temple to its immediate north added more exhibition and office space to the campus in 2005.
Belluschi’s original design was ahead of its time. It was airy and admitted natural light into the museum’s galleries, especially the court beyond the entryway, and the visitor today experiences that grand space as a sort of surprise, given the museum’s relative scale. More wings were added, first to house the Pacific Northwest College of Art, then known as the Museum Art School (and ultimately separated into its own institution), and then a warren of smaller galleries. The old Masonic Temple has become the Jubitz Center of Modern and Contemporary Art, though its old, ornate meeting rooms have been retained.
On the lower level sits the Whitsell Auditorium, a part of the Museum’s history for the past fifty years. Formally Northwest Film Center, now PAM CUT (Center for an Untold Tomorrow), the theater screens art films and has programming that supports local and international storytelling in all immersive formats.
Portland Art Museum Collections
The museum has strong collections of prints and drawings, photography, Asian art, Native American (especially Pacific Coast) art, and Northwest art. Its European and American collections contain some extraordinary individual pieces, especially from the 19th and 20th centuries. The huge prints and drawings collection was built largely by the late Gordon Gilkey and include Old Masters printmakers (Dürer, Rembrandt) and the most recent examples of the art forms. And under chief curator Bruce Guenther, the museum’s modern art holdings have increased dramatically, partly because of the addition of the collection of the great modernist critic Clement Greenberg, which gives the museum a unique window into the development of advanced art in the mid-20th century.
Native American Art
The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Center was sourced from two primary collectors: the Rasmussen Collection of Northwest Coast art, with its fabulous masks and whaling canoes, and the encyclopedic collection of Elizabeth Cole, which brings the exquisite work of Southwest, Plains, Plateau and Woodlands tribes into focus. The collection is dedicated to all the Native American tribes of Oregon.
Northwest Art
Northwest art is a primary attraction, cataloging the developments in Western art traditions in Oregon and Washington since the 19th century. The museum’s curators have wisely spread this work throughout the galleries, placing the best work of Northwest abstractionists alongside their more celebrated New York peers, for example. Still, a gallery specifically dedicated to Northwest art supplies a good introduction to the fine artists who have worked here (C.S. Price, Mark Tobey, Morris Graves, Hilda and Carl Morris, Sally Haley and Michele Russo).
Explore the Arts
Within the Portland Art Museum and beyond, to local institues supporting living artist.
Oregon Contemporary
In North Portland find visual art installations and performance art to collaborations with bands, chefs and mixologists, with international curators and partnerships with Oregon art makers, Oregon Contemporary is the cutting edge of visual arts.
Time-Based Art (TBA) Festival
Portland’s Time-Based Art Festival (TBA) returns every September with 10 days of boundary-pushing performances, visual art and projects that defy categorization.
Visual Art Events
West End Wednesdays
West End Wednesday exists to ignite new energy and define a common vision for downtown SW Portland. Building relationships with neighbors and business partners is not just organizing a once-a-month event… it is actively creating, together, a neighborhood everyone can love to live, work and play in. West End Wednesdays is the West End's signature celebration…
First Thursday in the Pearl District
Starting in 1986, First Thursday in the Pearl is a district-wide celebration on the first Thursday of each month. Originally a gathering of art collectors and dealers, the celebration has grown to a monthly event of over ten thousand people, including art enthusiasts, wine aficionados, and scenesters looking to see and be seen. Art galleries in…
Crafty Wonderland Spring Art + Craft Market
Portland’s biannual art and craft fair boasts unique handmade wares from 225+ local vendors.
Mt. Tabor Art Walk
The Mt. Tabor Art Walk is a Portland tradition. This juried show and sale is a great opportunity to see quality visual art and meet artists in their studios and homes. Diverse media are represented, including photography, painting, ceramics, sculpture, prints, metal arts, photography, glass, jewelry, book arts and mosaics. The Mt. Tabor Art Walk…
Multnomah County Fair
The Multnomah County Fair will take place at Oaks Amusement Park in Portland, Oregon. The fair features three full days of family fun, including competitive exhibits, musical and stage performances, a car show, a pioneer village, and small animal activities. In addition, to all the fair activities, visitors can also enjoy the awesome amusement rides…
Rose Festival Art Show
Please join the 41st annual Rose Festival gallery Art Show and reception at OSA. The OSA Rose Festival Show is an artistic celebration of the City of Portland and its traditions surrounding its iconic flower, the rose. The official Portland Rose Festival theme is “Dream Forward” this year. OSA is honored to participate in the…
Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade
A cherished highlight of the Portland Rose Festival, this popular procession is more than just a spectacular floral-filled parade — it’s a beloved annual tradition. For more than 115 years, Portland families, visitors and community groups have been making memories at the Grand Floral Parade. A colorful reflection of local, regional and international communities, the…
Last Thursday
Last Thursday is a community-grown event, free for all artists and art vendors, musicians, performers and visitors. Alberta Street is closed to traffic for the Last Thursdays in June, July and August. On Last Thursday, galleries hold opening parties, and performance venues and bars often host live music and performances. If the weather is nice…
Latino Cultural Festival
Get ready to immerse yourself in a vibrant celebration of Latin culture at the 17th Annual Washington County Chamber — Unitus Community Credit Union Latino Cultural Festiva. This culturally rich event provides a platform for sharing information, connecting with the community, and promoting local businesses and non-profits to more than 10,000 attendees. The festivities will…
Mississippi Street Fair
Bustling North Mississippi Avenue closes down for a day of food, vendors, music and fun at Portland's largest street fair, Mississippi Street Fair. This year the fair will have the following: Three Music Stages, Kids Zone, Grandfathers Rib-Off Competition, Hundreds Of Vendors, Shopping and Dining,
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation & Technology
Portland Festival of Cinema, Animation and Technology will screen over 110 films and animations from 23 countries. The event will include parties, panel presentations, and Q&A sessions with visiting filmmakers. Taking place in-person at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The festival embraces cutting-edge technology and its role in modern filmmaking.
Art In The Pearl Fine Arts & Crafts Festival
Portland’s Art In The Pearl Fine Arts and Craft Festival celebrates 27 years of bringing art to the community. The distinctly artist-run event has long been a favorite in Portland, and it’s the perfect Labor Day destination to gather and celebrate the end of summer. Art In The Pearl is Portland’s largest outdoor art fair,…
Rose City Comic Con
Portland’s premier pop culture event, Rose City Comic Con, is produced locally with a weird and wonderful vibe unique to the Pacific Northwest. Now in its twelfth year, the ultimate goal remains the same — to deliver the most rewarding, memorable, laughter-inducing weekend ever. While comic books and their mega-talented creators remain the cornerstone of…
Throughlines: Connections in the Collection
Throughlines embraces wonder and curiosity, bringing together artworks from across the Museum’s collections to explore the range of artistic innovation. From diverse geographies, cultures, and time periods, artists have consistently created images, objects, and experiences that ask us to consider ourselves and the world from different perspectives. Visitors will encounter playful groupings that reveal how artists…
Animal Spirit
Presenting Animal Spirit, an exhibition of silver gelatin prints by Japanese photographer Yamamoto Masao. The exhibition focuses on animal imagery and pulls from his most recent body of work La Vie Simple, as well as from his series Box of Ku, Nakazora, and KAWA=FLOW.
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is a groundbreaking new exhibition that features nearly 60 futuristic footwear designs pushing the boundaries of what art can be. Featuring an incredible mix of fashion, design, gaming, new media, architecture, and material arts as well as sustainable and collaborative practices, the exhibition features work by designers as diverse…
OSA Photography Showcase
OSA proudly presents the 2024 Photography Exhibit in partnership with the Portland Photographers Forum. This year’s theme is Visual Poetry: Looking for the Meaning. How do your photos engage with the viewer? Do your photos tell a story? Do the images evoke feelings, memories, or a search for meaning? The Juror is Fritz Liedtke, a…
World of Penjing
Immerse yourself in the 'World of Penjing' at Lan Su Chinese Garden this April. Embark on a captivating journey led by industry experts and Lan Su's esteemed horticulture team. Explore the intricate art of Chinese miniature landscapes through guided Penjing tours, interactive demonstrations, and an exquisite month-long Penjing exhibit. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to…
Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University is pleased to present the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize exhibition. A public reception will be held on Wednesday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. The School of Art + Design and the College of the Arts celebrate the eleventh year of the Arlene…
At Least We're Not Alone Now | Erika Rier Solo Show
Explore the marvelous world of Erika Rier in this solo show. At Least We’re Not Alone Now is a show about creating art within a community. Using snippets of overheard conversations and creating creatures in the hopes of bringing a smile to a friend’s face these are the jumping-off point for many of the ceramic pieces…
Froelick Gallery: Japanese Artists Exhibition
Froelick Gallery is proud to welcome back Seiichi Hiroshima with a solo exhibition. Seiichi Hiroshima is a master printmaker, Moon & Dog Press co-owner, and print artist living and working in Tokyo, Japan. Hiroshima primarily uses the color mezzotint process, an extremely difficult technique he has perfected. He scratches plates with a rocker and then burnishes…
Froelick Gallery: V. Maldonado "ojo de aguila"
Froelick Gallery is pleased to present V. Maldonado’s recent body of work titled ojo de aguila (eagle's eye). Their unique aerial perspective and commitment to creative healing are at the core of V. Maldonado’s studio practice. The artist has journeyed through deep reflections and past experiences, often looking back in order to run toward the future. What…
Labor of Love
The artists featured in Labor of Love produce work that aims to expose and highlight labor practices that have been historically and systematically concealed from the public sphere. Working across a wide variety of media and using a range of conceptual approaches, the eight artists exhibited here seek to explore that which is often hidden just under…
Oregon Jews, A to Z
The Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education provides a home for a bountiful collection of archival materials and artifacts. Our collection includes thousands of photographs, documents, films, oral histories, three-dimensional objects, and artworks — the physical objects that represent the Jews of Oregon. Oregon Jews, A to Z highlights the most significant, poignant,…
The Burned Piano Project
Over several weeks in spring 2022, as lilacs bloomed in Portland, a mosque, a Black-owned restaurant and two synagogues were vandalized. Around that time, a family's home, which also was a Jewish organization's mailing address, was destroyed by arson in the middle of the night. The family will not be named for their protection. A…
The Landscape Show
Grey Raven Gallery hosts a free month long exhibition of art featuring the landscape to celebrate Earth Day. Enjoy work by a large group of local NW artists in a variety of media including painting, printmaking, glass, and encaustic. Our gallery is open Wednesday-Saturday from 11am-5pm. The exhbit runs from April 3, 2024 through April…
Paint Yourself Free
Are you caught in the grip of perfectionism or feeling trapped in a cycle of inaction? Join a liberating experience where intuitive painting and transformational coaching techniques converge to help you break through barriers and shift your approach to problem-solving. No prior art experience is necessary; this workshop is about embracing the process rather…
The Art Happening
The Art Happening is a crafting and social hour. To inspire and be inspired. Some craft supplies will be provided. All crafts are welcome. Drawing, stitching, knitting, collage, jewelry making, show and tell. Let your creativity shine brighter that the sun.
Alberta Street Gallery: The Paper Invitational
Paper Takes Center Stage: Annual Paper Invitational at Alberta Street Gallery. Immerse yourself in the world of paper art at the Alberta Street Gallery's Annual Paper Invitational. Curated by resident paper artists David Friedman and Kim Nickens, this exhibition showcases the incredible versatility of a familiar material. David Friedman, a founding member of Portland Open…
Policing Justice
Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) presents Policing Justice, an exhibition and related programming with local, national, and international artists. Guest curated by Nina Amstutz, Associate Professor of the History of Art and Architecture at the University of Oregon, and Cleo Davis, local social construct artist, designer, educator, historian, and community leader, this exhibition examines policing practices…
Celebrate National Poetry Month with Ekphraestival
This 1st annual event arose from a collaboration between 25 poets and 26 visual artists, bringing together poetry and art. Named for the rhetorical term ekphrasis, which is often understood as a literary interpretation of visual art, Ekphraestival uses the term more broadly, celebrating the creation of visual work in response to poetry. During April,…
Spring Member Artists Show
Showcasing over 200 newly acquired works from outstanding Member Artists. Discover new work as varied and rich as the Pacific Northwest itself. And, best of all, you can take them home. All works on display at RSG are available to rent or buy. The Show will then run through May-June 2024. The Rental Sales Gallery…
Print Making with Nature
The natural world is full of creative inspiration. In this workshop, participants will explore different monoprint techniques with leaves and ferns to create unique art that celebrates the beauty of nature. You will explore making our own eco-friendly printing ink to use in some of your prints. Each participant will create multiple pieces that can…
Screen Printing Workshop and Artist Social
The embroidery hoop and Mod Podge method of screen making, but in a more social environment. This method is perfect for beginners or those who want to try screen printing without investing in expensive equipment. Students can create unique and personalized prints with just a few materials and meet other local artists simultaneously. Masks are…
Eat, Drink, and Draw
Come every Tuesday in March and April to eat, drink, and draw with fellow artistic folks to raise funds to make Flashback. Bring your own art supplies or borrow some of theirs. Coloring books will also be available to draw within the lines (no shame). What is Flashback, you ask? When it's done, it will…
Terry Toedtemeier
PDX CONTEMPORARY ART is pleased to present Arches (and apertures), an exhibition of photographs by Terry Toedtemeier. Toedtemeier was an accomplished photographer whose work was deeply informed by his study of the geology of the Northwest.
Celebrating Mothers May Exhibit
Grey Raven Gallery celebrates mothers for May with a special exhibit featuring jewelry and watercolors. Enjoy a wide selection of jewelry and beautiful watercolor works, all created by local NW artists. The Gallery hosts a free First Friday reception from 5–9 p.m. on May 3.
Water Media Juried Show
The Gallery at OSA is pleased to announce the Spring Water Media Juried Show. This exhibition invites submissions in all types of water-soluble media, such as watercolor, gouache, acrylic, chalk pastel, etc. Whether your watercolors drip and flow or you dry brush acrylic paint, this is work created in water-based media. Open to any and…
Blackfish Gallery 45th Anniversary Party
Blackfish Gallery, the earliest artist-owned and operated gallery in Portland and one of the longest continuously operating artists’ cooperatives in the United States, is celebrating its 45th birthday. One of the Northwest’s leading art groups and a pioneer in the city’s thriving art scene, Blackfish Gallery has been home to many of Portland’s most…
The Language of Sneaker Design // CREATIVE CONFERENCE
“Design Language of Sneakers” is a captivating conversation series that delves into the minds of renowned sneaker designers, unraveling the secrets behind their enduring design aesthetic across diverse projects. In celebration of Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks (now on view at the Portland Art Museum), explore the intricate language of design and discover the inspiration…
First Friday at ADX: An Altar of Books
Join an evening at ADX's "An Altar of Books: A Celebration of Book Arts." Led by the talented Jessica Werner, this event promises to be a captivating showcase of handcrafted books, journals, and other book-related creations. Immerse yourself in the ambiance as you enjoy live music by Amie Santavicca and Sleep Over Band. Don't miss…
Grey Raven Gallery First Friday Reception
Grey Raven Gallery hosts their free First Friday Receptions May's reception features jewelry and watercolor. Enjoy live music and light refreshments while you browse the new featured art exhibit.
Watercolor Workshop: Paint Your Own Beer Label at Leikam Brewing
Learn foundational watercolor techniques and take home your own hop-tastic creation in this all-level workshop. Local artist Amy Wike will teach insider tips and tricks of the watercolor medium, introduce essential materials and techniques, and provide blank beer label templates for a fun painting prompt. Taking inspiration from Leikam's watercolor beer can art, dream up…
Cuts Across: Artists Respond to Lived Intersections
Cuts Across: Artists Respond to Lived Intersections, a show curated by Carnation Contemporary members Quinha Faria, Pamela Hadley, Marcelo Fontana and Michael Espinoza, asks Oregon artists to respond to a deceptively complicated question: how do you identify? This show aims to mine the rich layers of identity to uncover how artists respond to the pressure…
Haiku in Nature
Haiku, a short form of Japanese poetry, lets the writer convey a direct and personal connection with nature. Writing haiku can deepen our experience of the natural world. Using a simple written formula, anyone can write haiku. This class introduces participants to classical haiku poetry, and guides them to write their own haikus while spending…
Star Wars Weekend at Washington Square
May the 4th Be With You: Star Wars Weekend at Washington Square. View Star Wars LEGO creations from PortLUG, meet LEGO Masters Season 4 Contestant Kelly Bartlett, experience a live LEGO building demonstration, Build a LEGO Spacecraft* and take it home with you, Meet members of the Cloud City Garrison (501st Legion) and Kashyyyk Base…
Post Familiar Wine Release Party
Wine release party at the Night Market building in SE Portland. Complimentary tastes, glasses and bottles of the latest spring wines. Doyaji Korean BBQ cart will be joining, and local artists will be helping take over the space. Post Familiar is an experimental wine company partnering with creative winemakers to produce unique (one-off) natural wines…
Wine & Watercolor
Explore your creative side and enjoy some wonderful local wine while you paint. You are encouraged to make it unique. YOU are the artist. Paint a path of blossoming cherry trees for spring or a wreath of spring florals for Mother's Day. No experience is necessary. Artists of all levels are welcomed and encouraged. With…
Natural Dyes: Celebrating the Color of Flowers
Explore the wonders of natural dye in this fun, nature-inspired class. This beginner-friendly class will explore two techniques for creating unique wearable art. Participants will learn to create bundled dye silk scarves and eco-printed tote bags using flowers and plant dye.
Mother's Day Market at The Erin Hanson Gallery
Find the perfect gift at The Erin Hanson Gallery's Mother’s Day Market. The Erin Hanson Gallery is collaborating with Oregon businesses for a special Mother's Day Market. These businesses include a florist, winery, chocolatier, and jeweler. Find all of the perfect gifts for the mothers in your life under one roof. Or, bring the mamas…
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