PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland Art Museum is set to finish construction and fully reopen in late 2025, showcasing more of its art and providing more space for the public, as well as increased accessibility, after a year of renovations.
The renovations will highlight the museum's two historic buildings with a 24,000-square-foot glass pavilion. The Mark Rothko Pavilion, named after the renewed abstract artist who spent his childhood in Portland, will also connect four floors of gallery space, according to the Portland Art Museum. The glass facade should allow visitors on the street to glance into the museum to better view the museum's holdings, including work by women, people of color and other underrepresented artists.
The Crumpacker Center for New Art will have 2,700 additional square feet of exhibition space, as well as new gallery space on the second floor of the main building. The museum's campus will provide additional spaces for visitors to gather both inside and outside the building, including within a new café and expanded store.
The interior of the Whitsell Auditorium will also be refurbished, and the museum's library and research center will be relocated to the first floor of the Mark Building for easier access.
The $111 million expansion is one of the most significant capital investments in the arts in the history of Oregon, according to the Portland Art Museum.
“Though the Museum has remained open during construction, we are looking forward to welcoming our community back to experience a new PAM next year,” said Brian Ferriso, the Portland Art Museum's executive director and chief curator. “Our transformed campus will invite visitors to make meaningful connections with art, find inspiration, and spark their creativity. The new PAM will create a dynamic destination for the arts in downtown Portland, reinvigorating our city and drawing visitors from around the region and world.”
The museum was founded in 1892 and is the oldest in the Pacific Northwest.
