Five Must-See Additions to the Newly Reimagined Portland Art Museum

This story is published in cooperation with Willamette Week and Portland Art Museum.

Portland isn’t exactly starving for creativity—locals can turn a street corner, a bike basket, or a coffee sleeve into a work of art. But when a 130-year-old cultural institution decides to reinvent itself on a scale we’ve never seen? That’s not just a museum upgrade. That’s a civic moment.

After years of planning (and plenty of crane-spotting on SW Park), the Portland Art Museum has emerged transformed—brighter, more connected, and ready to meet the way Portland experiences art now. Think soaring glass, fluid movement between galleries, spaces designed for lingering, and yes, a place to sip your americano in pursuit of a Rothko.

This isn’t a velvet-rope reinvention. It’s a cultural invitation. Whether you’re a longtime member, a casual museum stroller, or someone who’s been meaning to renew that membership since 2019: this is your moment.

Here’s what to explore first.

1. The Mark Rothko Pavilion—A New Cultural Beacon

Let’s begin with the showstopper: the Mark Rothko Pavilion. This nearly-22,000-square-foot glass passageway finally unites PAM’s historic buildings into one fluid campus. The effect? Airy, light-filled, and the kind of architectural gesture that feels like a deep breath for downtown.

Named for Mark Rothko—who grew up in Portland long before he became a titan of modern art—the pavilion also launches a long-term partnership with the Rothko family. Translation: expect decades of access to works from one of the 20th century’s most influential painters.

It’s more than a gorgeous throughline between buildings. Think of it as a statement, a welcoming front door, and a glowing anchor for Portland’s creative life.

2. New Galleries With Big Vision (Hello, Pipilotti Rist)

With expanded square footage comes expanded imagination. New gallery spaces—including the Crumpacker Center and the Blair Family Gallery—create room for ambitious contemporary work and global voices.

First up: Pipilotti Rist: 4th Floor to Mildness is an immersive dreamscape from the internationally celebrated Swiss artist known for dissolving the boundaries between digital, physical, and emotional space. Expect color, sound, soft rafts to recline on, and a sense of floating somewhere between memory and water.

It’s playful, transportive, and proof: PAM isn’t just preserving history—it’s commissioning the future.

3. A Reimagined Collection, Reframed for Now

Even if you know the museum’s collection well, prepare to see it differently. PAM has completely reinstalled its permanent galleries, showcasing hundreds of new acquisitions and works rarely (or never) exhibited before.

Instead of marching through art history chronologically, visitors move through thematic stories of place, community, identity, and belonging. The approach is fresher, more layered, and intentionally reflective of Portland and the Pacific Northwest right now.

This is the museum asking not just “What is art?” but “Who gets to tell the story?”

4. Spaces Designed for Staying a While

Art hits differently when there’s room to breathe. The new PAM understands that—and delivers on it perfectly.

The expansion introduces restful terraces, gathering nooks, plazas on both sides of the museum, and an Overlook Gallery with park-block views. There’s even a rooftop Sky Deck (!!) and a new café from Providore—ideal for post-gallery conversation or quietly staring into space thinking about that painting you can’t shake.

Also new: an expanded museum store to bring a little inspiration home.

This is cultural infrastructure built for curiosity, community, and comfort. No blistered feet required.

5. The Learning Studio—Make Art, Don’t Just Look at It

Museums aren’t only places to observe. They’re opportunities to participate. The new Learning Studio opens the door for hands-on workshops, community programming, and creative experimentation for all ages.

From first-timers to seasoned artists dusting off dormant skills, it’s a reminder that Portland doesn’t just consume art—we make it.

Bonus: Four Days of Free Admission

From November 20–23, PAM is celebrating its transformation with four days of free admission, food, music, art-making, curator chats, and late-night programming. Bring your friend who “doesn’t get modern art” and lovingly change their life.

Why It Matters

In a moment when Portland’s narrative is often contested, debated, and too quickly summarized, PAM’s transformation is a vote of confidence—in art, in public space, and in the creative pulse that has always defined this place.

More access. More voices. More ways to gather and be inspired.

Portland didn’t just get a renovated museum. It got a renewed cultural heartbeat. Go see it shine.

Head to portlandartmuseum.org to learn more and plan your visit!