Join us for four days of free admission, activities, and events as we celebrate the grand opening of our Museum transformation!
Schedule of events and activities
Thursday, November 20 — Grand Opening Day
Join us for our ribbon ceremony at 12 p.m. and get early access to the museum galleries as part of the event. Tickets for general admission begin at 1 p.m. The event includes remarks by civic and Museum leaders, a custom ribbon created by Portland Garment Factory, and live entertainment. The ceremony launches four days of free admission, inviting everyone to explore the transformed Museum.
Visitors enjoy free admission from 12 noon to 9 p.m. with access to newly installed galleries and recent acquisitions. From 5 to 9 p.m., the celebration continues with Museum Open Late, a free after-hours celebration featuring DJs, pop-up performances by local arts partners, and plenty of creative spirit, with food and drinks available for purchase. Guests are encouraged to dress inspired by their favorite artist or artwork—or simply come as they are.
Friday, November 21
Free admission all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., guests can Meet the Curator, with different curators featured each day. Look with Me, a rotating series of gallery talks, takes place from 12 noon to 3 p.m. In the Learning Studio, Artmaking activities run from 12 noon to 5 p.m., including felting with LeBrie Rich from noon to 2 p.m. and make-and-take artwork with Julz Clementine from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Happy Hour follows from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at the new cafe, Coquelico by Providore Fine Foods, featuring partners from the Everybody is an Art Person initiative. Throughout the day, Friends of Noise presents music in the Pavilion, with DJs performing from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Saturday, November 22
Free admission all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Daily programs continue with Meet the Curator from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Look with Me from 12:00 to 3 p.m., and Happy Hour from 3:30 to 5 p.m. The Black Art & Experiences Gallery hosts Riso Printmaking with Sharita Towne from 12 to 3 p.m.
Music fills the Pavilion from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., presented by Tender Loving Empire, featuring DJs and live performances in the galleries. Food trucks will be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and family friendly art-making throughout the day led by PAM’s Venice Biennale Educator Cohort, a group of Oregon educators who have collaborated with artist Jeffrey Gibson to expand how contemporary Native art is taught and experienced for K-12 students.
Sunday, November 23
Free admission all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The weekend concludes with Meet the Curator from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Look with Me from 12 noon to 3 p.m., and Happy Hour from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Riso Printmaking with Sharita Towne continues from 12 noon to 3 p.m., and Tender Loving Empire presents DJs and live music in the Pavilion from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Food trucks will again be available from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Venice Biennale Educator Cohort programming rounding out the four-day celebration.
Note: Free First Thursdays will pause in November and December as we celebrate the November 20 – 23 Grand Opening with four free days in a row. Free First Thursdays will return in January (January 8, since New Year’s Day museum closure falls on Free First Thursday). Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program.
Meet the curator schedule
Friday, November 21
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Jaleesa Johnston, Curatorial Coordinator, and Teena Wilder, Art Bridges Fellow, in Black Art and Experiences Galleries
- 12 – 1 p.m. Julia Dolan, Ph.D., The Minor White Senior Curator of Photography, in Photography Gallery
- 1 – 2 p.m. Mary Weaver Chapin, Ph.D., Senior Curator of Prints & Drawings, in Inkling Studios Exhibition
Saturday, November 22
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Grace Kook-Anderson, The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Northwest Art, and Teena Wilder, Art Bridges Fellow, in Northwest Galleries
- 12 – 1 p.m. Jeannie Kenmotsu, Ph.D., The Arlene and Harold Schnitzer Curator of Asian Art, in Asian Galleries (102-109)
- 1 – 2 p.m. Lloyd DeWitt, Ph.D., Richard and Janet Geary Curator of European & American Art Pre-1930, in American and European Galleries (204-210)
Sunday, November 23
- 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Kathleen Ash-Milby, Senior Curator of Native American Art, and Erin Grant, Assistant Curator of Native American Art, in Native American Galleries (302)
- 12 – 1 p.m. Sara Krajewski, The Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Senior Curator of Modern & Contemporary Art, in Art of Mark Rothko exhibition (404-405)
- 1 – 2 p.m. Amy Dotson, Curator, Film & New Media, in Blair Family Gallery (001)
Art making workshops
Thursday, November 20
- 3 – 5 p.m. Art making with LeBrie Rich in Finley Learning Studio
- 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. Kaleidoscope making based on Brambilla with Fry in Finley Learning Studio
Friday, November 21
- 12 – 2 p.m. Felt art making with LeBrie Rich in Finley Learning Studio
- 3 – 5 p.m. Art making with Julz Clementine in Finley Learning Studio
Saturday, November 22
- 12 – 3 p.m. Riso printmaking with Sharita Towne and Nia Musiba in Black Art and Experiences CREATE Space
- 12 – 4 p.m. Art making inspired by Jeffrey Gibson with the Venice Biennale Educator Cohort in Finley Learning Studio
Sunday, November 23
- 12 – 3 p.m. Riso printmaking with Sharita Towne and Nia Musiba in Black Art and Experiences CREATE Space
- 12 – 4 p.m. Art making inspired by Jeffrey Gibson with the Venice Biennale Educator Cohort in Finley Learning Studio
Musical offerings
Musical offerings courtesy of partnerships with Friends of Noise and Tender Loving Empire.
Thursday, November 20 in Contemporary Galleries (300)
Friday, November 21 in in Sky Gallery (400)
- 12 – 1:20 p.m. DJ Teahouse (Friends of Noise)
- 1:20 – 2:40 p.m. DJ Ruskii (Friends of Noise)
- 2:40 – 4 p.m. DJ PLMS (Friends of Noise)
- 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. DJ Ambush
Saturday, November 22
- 12 – 1 p.m. Small Skies in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 12 – 1:30 p.m. Da Costa in Sky Gallery (400)
- 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Crystal Quartez in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 1:30 – 3 p.m. Papi + Eagle Sun King in Sky Gallery (400)
- 3 – 4 p.m. Laine in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Sacred Harp in South Wing (212-213)
- 3:30 – 5 p.m. DJ Ambush in Sky Gallery (400)
Sunday, November 23
- 12 – 1 p.m. Small Skies in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 12 – 1:30 p.m. Da Costa in Sky Gallery (400)
- 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. Crystal Quartez in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 1:30 – 3 p.m. Papi + Eagle Sun King in Sky Gallery (400)
- 3 – 4 p.m. Laine in Grand Gallery Overlook (300)
- 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. Sacred Harp in South Wing (212-213)
- 3:30 – 5 p.m. DJ Ambush in Sky Gallery (400)
Tickets
Tickets for the free community days, November 20-23, can be reserved here. Tickets for the expanded museum and exhibitions are available now; admission is $27.50 for adults, $24.50 for seniors 65+, and $22.50 for students with ID. Admission is free for Museum members and for children 17 and under. To learn more about Museum membership, visit portlandartmuseum.org/membership.
Special thanks
Generous support provided by Art Bridges Foundation’s Access for All program for underwriting free admission to the grand openings.
We also gratefully acknowledge the support of our major funders, whose generosity helped make the inaugural year of exhibitions and programs possible. Presenting Sponsor: Mary and Tim Boyle; Lead Sponsors: William G. Gilmore Foundation, Mary and Pete Mark Family Foundation, Meier Family Fund, and Anonymous; Major Sponsors: Greg and Cathy Tibbles,
Pat and Trudy Ritz; Sponsors: Alix and Tom Goodman, Grace Serbu and Ivan Gold, The Smidt Foundation, Darci and Charlie Swindells, Mr. and Mrs. William A. Whitsell, and Janet Macomber Williamson.