PORTLAND, OR — The Portland Art Museum (PAM), in collaboration with developer and builder, Mortenson, hosted a topping out ceremony to celebrate the completion of the steel structure for the museum's new Mark Rothko Pavilion. Opening fall 2025, the pavilion is the centerpiece of PAM's major $111 million campus transformation that will renovate or add nearly 100,000 square feet to the museum and add new visitor amenities that address the needs of more diverse audiences.
During the ceremony, the top roof beam was placed for the nearly 22,000-square-foot pavilion, which will provide a new transparent "front door" to the museum. Guests were invited to commemorate the event and had the opportunity to sign the beam. Representatives from PAM and Mortenson also shared comments about what this project means for the community along with construction highlights.
"This project is incredibly special on so many levels, not the least of which is the opportunity to expand such a culturally important destination for Portland," said Mike Clifford, Vice President, General Manager of Mortenson. "The intricacies of surgical-like demolition and the merging of modern new construction with the historic buildings required meticulous planning and precise skills. We could not have accomplished this great progress so far without the museum's leadership and a team of highly experienced construction professionals."
Designed for increased visitor accessibility, the glass pavilion will connect the museum's two historic buildings — the landmark 1932 Main Building and the Mark Building, a former Masonic temple renovated by PAM in 2005 — creating streamlined circulation across all four floors of gallery space. The pavilion is named in honor of abstract artist Mark Rothko, who spent his childhood in Portland.
Spearheaded by Chicago-based architecture firm Vinci Hamp in collaboration with Portland's Hennebery Eddy Architects, the PAM campus transformation project is a catalyzing force in revitalizing Portland's downtown core. According to a 2023 study released by Americans for the Arts, Oregon's nonprofit and for-profit arts and culture sector accounted for 3.4 percent of the state economy, and its nonprofit arts industry alone generated $829 million in economic activity annually.
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Upon completion in late 2025, visitors will encounter an entirely reimagined museum experience with reinstalled galleries and more intuitive pathways to encounter PAM's collection. The renovation and expansion will feature a complete reinstallation of the museum's encyclopedic collection. The transformed campus will also provide areas for visitors to rest, reflect, and gather with new outdoor terraces and public plazas, as well as an expanded café and store.
