The Portland Art Museum is set to open its transformed campus on November 20, 2025, after a nine-year renovation project. The $111 million expansion adds nearly 100,000 square feet of new and upgraded gallery and public space. The centerpiece of the project is the 21,881 square foot Mark Rothko Pavilion, a glassed-in structure connecting the museum’s original Pietro Belluschi building to the south and the Mark Building, a former Masonic Temple, to the north.
The pavilion will serve as the museum’s entry and gathering space, directing visitors to the refreshed galleries. “The Museum’s transformed campus is a result of a decades-long vision to better serve our community as the cornerstone of Portland’s downtown cultural district,” said museum Director Brian Ferriso. “We can’t wait for everyone to experience the new PAM this November.”
The renovation improves access to the museum, adding elevators and ramps, and enhancing the layout of the galleries.
Portland art museum’s grand opening
An expansive new outdoor plaza ties the campus together, and improved delivery spaces facilitate the transport of art for special exhibitions. The reopening will feature the display of almost 300 major new acquisitions.
The museum has kept parts of its collection open throughout construction and continued to present special exhibitions. The reinstalled galleries will adopt a thematic approach, emphasizing place, community, and identity. Several collection galleries will reflect a more collaborative, cross-departmental approach to curation, allowing visitors to discover new interpretations and connections between the works on view.
The museum will celebrate the grand opening with four days of free public festivities throughout the transformed campus. A few new exhibits will begin before the November 20 reopening, and the museum’s new café and store will open in late August.
