As the largest art museum in the state of Maine, the Portland Museum of Art serves as a vital cultural resource for all who visit. The Museum’s collection of more than 17,000 objects is housed in a complex of historic and remarkable buildings showcasing three centuries of art and architecture. With our constantly changing exhibitions and permanent collection, a diverse selection of fine and decorative art is always on view.
Explore the art of the line this spring with the exhibition The Powerful Hand of George Bellows: Drawings from the Boston Public Library, on view through June 1. The more than 60 works on view by the great realist painter George Bellows capture the spirit and character of American life in the early 20th century. From the boxing ring to the seashore, his well-known images convey the liveliness present in many aspects of American life. This is the first time since the 1950s that these works have been on view to the public.
Through August 17, the Museum presents an exhibition that examines artistic responses to the serendipities of city life in Portland and other metropolitan environments. Urban Seen, on the Museum’s second floor, showcases more than 20 paintings, prints, and photographs that document, interpret, and idealize monuments, buildings, and streetscapes in the American city.
Don’t forget to visit our fourth floor to see New Natural History, on view through May 11. Inspired by science and armed with a keen eye for observation, the works in this exhibition by 13 contemporary Maine artists focus on the world of natural history. From photography to installation pieces, all the works selected for this exhibition begin with references to older forms of scientific inquiry, but quickly move into the realm of the modern in conception.
Come back and visit the fourth floor again for the exhibition Contemporary Collaborations: Artist and Master Printer, on view May 24 through August 10. Guest curated by print collector Bruce Brown, this exhibition features 23 prints by 18 contemporary artists with Maine connections who have created significant prints in concert with technical specialists at professional fine art print presses.
All of these extraordinary exhibitions are explored in greater detail through art classes, music, lectures, and much more.
Welcome to the Portland Museum of Art.