The grand opening of the Portland Art Museum premiered on Nov. 20, 2025, sparking young minds to see fresh new art. The doors finally opened to the public, showing major expansion, renovations featuring newly installed galleries, and offering free admission year-round to all children and teens ages 17 and under.
The celebration started at noon with a ribbon cutting by community leaders and a special performance from McDaniel High School Stomp N Shake cheer team. The first four days of opening included free admission, and after-hours from 5-9 P.M. were filled with music, art and food.
This process initially started in 2023, making it a nine-year project, at a cost of nearly $116 million, with a 100,000 square foot expansion. The project involved new galleries, interactivity, better navigation systems and an overall more cohesive campus.
The museum has become more accessible for everyone, adding three new elevators, renewed floors and 11 new levels without the use of stairs. The new design was inspired by the 1927 Masonic Temple’s strong geometric shapes and Pietro Bellush’s 1937 modern architecture.
During the renovation process, the galleries were designed with themes of community and belonging in mind. They were also made more spacious so visitors could move freely. The new design created a whole new approach to accessibility, thematic storytelling and connection.
The old museum had traditionally ordered displays, but now features more diverse collections like Native American, Northwestern and Asian art. The new design emphasizes the Mark Rothko Pavilion. Mark Rothko, a native Portland artist, is known for his paintings creating strong emotions through his color and light. His work connects to Portland’s deep local history and to world-famous modern art. Giving the city a strong cultural identity and a new era for art and community in Portland. A particular artwork that stands out is a piece called Cloud Dream of the Nine in the Asian wing. It focuses on a Korean screen painting preserved in Korea, by artist Kim-Man-Jung, about a Buddhist monk (Seongjin) who was reborn as Yang Soyu after surrendering to the world’s temptations.
Katie Sullivan, the Printmaking and Art teacher at Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School (IBW), loved Tenderhead by Lisa Jared, a painting inspired by an interest in migration and finding lost family history. “It was so cool, the beauty supplies, all these things are linked to the migration and diaspora, a surrogate,” Sullivan said.
Through galleries like Cloud Dream of the Nine that honor both cultural and traditional collections, the Portland Art Museum continues to evolve. Beyond these permanent galleries, this year brings even more exciting exhibitions like David Hockney: Works from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, Conductions: Black Imaginings II, Rick Bartow: Storyteller, and Pipilotti Rist: 4th floor to Mildness.
Jamie Suehiro, future AP Art History teacher at IBW, strongly encourages students to go to the museum. “Take advantage of the fact that the Portland Art Museum has free admission for the youth. Beyond these new exhibitions, there is so much more to see. You can explore previous shows, walk around the galleries, and find plenty of art to spark creativity.”
