The Portland Art Museum: A Cultural Cornerstone of the Portland Community

The Portland Art Museum is known in the community as a great regional museum, but what makes it stand out from other similar institutions?

Apart from being one of the oldest art museums in the United States, the Portland Art Museum boasts a collection of over 42,000 objects, including an excellent collection focusing on the lives of Native peoples in North America.

The museum is boasting one exhibit in particular, Native Fashion Now, the first large-scale traveling exhibition of contemporary Native American fashion, celebrating indigenous designers from across the United States and Canada, from the 1950s to today.

The Native American Art Collection is curated by Deana Dartt, Ph.D, who combines both ancient and contemporary pieces that together make for a dynamic experience. 

Ian Gillingham, Press and Publications Manager of the Portland Art Museum, feels the museum’s greatest strength lies in the breadth and depth of its collections.

“Between our major special exhibitions, rotating loans on display, and our excellent permanent collections, there’s always something new and delightful to see at the Portland Art Museum.”

Interested in checking out the Portland Art Museum? The galleries are open six days a week (Tuesday through Sunday), with extended hours on Thursday and Friday evenings. Children 17 and under visit for free. The Museum also offers free admission on the first Thursday of every month from 5 to 8 p.m., and most Fridays are just $5 after 5 p.m., with beer, pizza, and special pop up programs.