Aesthetic tastes have changed over the decades, but for more than 100 years, one thing has remained constant in Portland’s art world: the Portland Art Museum. Founded in 1982, it is the oldest museum on the West Coast and the 7^th oldest across America. Not content with just one record, the Museum also stands at 240,000 square feet as one of the 25 largest art museums in America.Beginning with an exhibition of casts of Greek and Roman sculptures, the museum added a painting by Childe Hassam in 1908 and hosted an exhibition of modern art by painters like Cezanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and others in 1913. This helped set a standard for the museum’s exhibitions: introducing modern artists in the prime of their work. One of the museum’s current exhibitions, “The Bible Illuminated: R. Crumb’s Book of Genesis” is centered around alternative comic artist R. Crumb’s re-imagining of the first book of the Bible. Another exhibition is showcasing Mark Grotjahn’s abstract nine-part piece Untitled (Dancing Black Butterflies). Some exhibitions also pay tribute to the history of art in the Pacific Northwest, such as retrospectives on artist Lee Kelly as well as railroad magnate Edwin Bryant Crocker’s personal collection of European drawings.Admission to the museum is 12 for adults and free for children 17 and under, with discounts for seniors and college students. You can also become a museum member and get free admission. The museum is also deeply committed to art education in the surrounding community, with a series of podcasts, videos, and always-changing community programs and tours. Check the calendar often to see what’s coming up next, and plan your Portland visit accordingly. Trust usthis museum is one piece of art you won’t want to miss.

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