Visual Arts

Portland Art Museum Director Brian Ferriso Is Leaving After Nearly 20 Years

Ferriso has taken a job as director of the Dallas Museum of Art.

By Rachel Saslow
Brian Ferriso Portland Art Museum Director Brian Ferriso at the PAM entrance in February 2025 during construction of the museum's new Mark Rothko Pavilion and transformed campus, which will open to the community Nov. 20. (Mario Gallucci)

Portland Art Museum director Brian Ferriso is moving on to lead the Dallas Museum of Art, effective Dec. 1.

Ferriso has been at the helm of PAM since 2006. He will leave about a week after the museum reopens its transformed campus Nov. 20, the result of a more than $140 million fundraising effort he led for the construction and endowment of the revitalized downtown campus, according to an announcement by the Dallas Museum of Art.

Since 2006, Ferriso has more than doubled PAM’s curatorial staff, increased the endowment by $40 million, and eliminated $7 million in unfunded debt, according to the DMA. He also created the Art Access Endowment at PAM, which supports free admission in perpetuity for children 17 and under, free school tours, and family free days.

“The Portland Art Museum will always have a special place in my heart,” Ferriso said in a statement. “I believe so deeply in the museum and what it does: elevating the work of generations of artists who have visited, lived, and worked in Oregon; centering the stories that reflect and matter to our visitors; and now, realizing a new, expanded museum that creates more accessible, impactful, and engaging experiences for all when it opens on November 20.”

PAM’s board of trustees is launching a search for the next director of the museum, Ferriso said in an email to PAM members and supporters. Ferriso’s last day at PAM will be Nov. 28.

“I know that there is so much to look forward to this fall and beyond, and I am excited to welcome everyone to experience the new Portland Art Museum in just a few short months,” Ferriso said. “Though I may be leaving Portland at the end of November, I will remain a champion of the museum for many years to come.”

Rachel Saslow

Rachel Saslow

Rachel Saslow is an arts and culture reporter. Before joining WW, she wrote the Arts Beat column for The Washington Post. She is always down for karaoke night.

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