The Portland Art Museum offers a nice assortment of viewing art for most of the family. For the museum to receive a higher ranking I would prefer a larger collection of hands on art and children’s... More

The Portland Art Museum offers a nice assortment of viewing art for most of the family. For the museum to receive a higher ranking I would prefer a larger collection of hands on art and children’s art. We recently visited the new wing of Modern art. The kids came along as we thought they might enjoy the variety that Modern art typically provides. Unfortunately the new wing is hard to maneuver for young kids, disabled or elderly. It is basically a continuous stairwell with a hallway of art. When we were done, we decided to take the elevators down, but after waiting 15 minutes… we gave up. On a side note, my daughter particularly enjoyed the traveling exhibit, Hesse, as it focused on a royal family and gave an inside to the life of a princess.
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I was recently invited to attend a showing at the Portland Art Museum by Starbucks. They gave us free tickets to attend, and I must say I thought it was going to be "stuffy". But my wife and I had... More

I was recently invited to attend a showing at the Portland Art Museum by Starbucks. They gave us free tickets to attend, and I must say I thought it was going to be "stuffy". But my wife and I had a pretty cool time. We dressed up and made the most of the cheap date night away from the kids. I think the Portland Art Museum had a good selection to satisfy all tastes in art, I suggest going.
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Since I have only been to one other Art Museum, I can't really compare how they are doing with others. I actually enjoyed my visit, and loved to just sit and take in the Art. I was forced to... More

Since I have only been to one other Art Museum, I can't really compare how they are doing with others. I actually enjoyed my visit, and loved to just sit and take in the Art. I was forced to attend because of an Art class at college. But I find when I'm forced to go, and dread it, it's usually something I end up enjoying quite a bit. The atmosphere was bright, comfortable with benches to sit and ponder. The layout is roomy. Enjoy a rainy day in the northwest trying something new!
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Unfortunately, PAM doesn't have the budget or the benefactors to procure a big selection of major art work or a selection of art work from a wide variety of genres. The one strength PAM does have... More

Unfortunately, PAM doesn't have the budget or the benefactors to procure a big selection of major art work or a selection of art work from a wide variety of genres. The one strength PAM does have is its ability to attract major travelling exhibits which make for an incredible experience. If PAM continues to attract major exhibits like Escher and Monet, there is hope that the community will rally around this museum and PAM will be able to continue to expose generations to wonderful masterpieces. Even if it is on a travelling basis.
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This is a very nice museum - you can tell Portland is a city that values art and culture. The permament collection is pretty good, with many pieces from famous artists as well as some great works by... More

This is a very nice museum - you can tell Portland is a city that values art and culture. The permament collection is pretty good, with many pieces from famous artists as well as some great works by lesser-known artists, and all the pieces are nicely displayed. The strongest draw for me is always their ability to attract wonderful traveling exhibits and other special shows, so there is even more to see and enjoy. The special exhibits that the museum brings are world-class, many only being found in a select group of museums worldwide. They also have a neat gift shop and you can even rent artwork by local artists to take home and hang on your own wall at very reasonable prices and apply your rental fees toward purchase if you decide to do that. My mom did that and really enjoys the piece she ended up buying.
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While a one-time visit can be rather costly, at $15 per person for a non-member, a family membership at $75 per year is pretty reasonable for a museum that provides an excellent program with... More

While a one-time visit can be rather costly, at $15 per person for a non-member, a family membership at $75 per year is pretty reasonable for a museum that provides an excellent program with considerably less endowment funding than a big city museum. They have a decent representative collection of Asian, Native American, European, and American art. The space is well laid out, bright, and comfortable, with a nice museum store, cafe, and a new wing that will be opening October 2, which will house a new space for modern and contemporary art and the Northwest Film Center, among other new resources . Kids seem to welcome, and there are many classes available for younger ones. There are also many events for curious adults, too.
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Also home to the NW Film Center, the Portland Art Museum surprisingly is one of the 25 largest museums in the country. Considering Portland's size, that's astounding, and with an addition due to be... More

Also home to the NW Film Center, the Portland Art Museum surprisingly is one of the 25 largest museums in the country. Considering Portland's size, that's astounding, and with an addition due to be completed in October 2005, it'll be the largest cultural art resource center in the Pacific Northwest. Collections and exhibitions are mainly centered around American, European, Asian, Native American and contemporary art.
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The Portland Art Museum offers a wide variety of art showings throughout the year to the public for viewing. The backgrounds of many pieces have shown the historical background of Oregon and its... More

The Portland Art Museum offers a wide variety of art showings throughout the year to the public for viewing. The backgrounds of many pieces have shown the historical background of Oregon and its people as well as art pieces from around the world. This museum truly is an unexpected treat to anyone that visits from out of town. The only negative I can say about this museum has to do with accessibility to the handicapped/disabled. The building is accessible to wheelchairs with the cool old-fashioned elevators but for people with low vision or blind it isn’t as accommodating as art museums are in other states.
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The Portland Art Museum hosts a large number of international pieces of art from over the entire world, it also has a beautiful collection of Native American art. Very interesting and educational!... More

The Portland Art Museum hosts a large number of international pieces of art from over the entire world, it also has a beautiful collection of Native American art. Very interesting and educational! They even have a great gift shop full of fantastic art and gift ideas. The staff are always friendly and very helpful and in tune to your needs. But a tad bit expensive.
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The PAM isn't that great of a museum, but they're really, really trying. What they most significantly lack is a truly spectacular, signature piece. I should rephrase that--they lack the FUNDS for... More

The PAM isn't that great of a museum, but they're really, really trying. What they most significantly lack is a truly spectacular, signature piece. I should rephrase that--they lack the FUNDS for such an acquisition. It's hard to get people in the door because of this deficiency. (Though their collection of European art, especially from French painters, is decent for a museum the size of the PAM.) What the PAM does excel in is bringing great temporary exhibitions to the museum, like Monet and Ansel Adams a few years ago. Right now there's a John Singer Sargent exhibition, which will certainly draw a crowd. In any event, the museum is a fun, cheap way to while away the afternoon and should certainly be visited at least once.
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