Museum of Contemporary Craft now open
at its new location on Portland's North Park Blocks

A Well-Crafted Experience

Museum of Contemporary Craft is a vibrant center for investigation and dialogue, expanding the definition of craft and the ways audiences experience it. At the Museum, craft is engaged as a verb as well as a noun, pondering what it means to “craft” something. Questions are posed, conversations ignited by dynamic exhibitions, thoughtful publications, provocative programs and special events.

The Exhibition Galleries present curated exhibitions and installations that examine the current, future and past of craft through today’s lens. Choreographed and arranged amongst 4500 sq. feet of exhibition space on two levels, the emphasis is on physical interaction with objects, exploration of ideas, ways of making and the shifting place of craft in contemporary society. An ongoing selection of objects from the Museum’s seminal and growing Collection is always on view, a public legacy that documenets the active role of both the Museum and the Pacific Northwest in the evolution of craft.

Discovery happens in The Lab. On any given day, this flexible space engages visitors through hands-on classes, artist demonstrations, panel discussions, lectures and videos. Visitors of all ages and sensibilities gather in The Lab to make, discuss and investigate aspects of craft that go beyond the surface of objects. The Lab also highlights the intersections between craft, art and design within the broader art community, hosting special events, collaborations, presentations and performances on a regular basis.

Composed with a curatorial eye, The Gallery at Museum of Contemporary Craft is one of the primary destinations in the Pacific Northwest for purchasing exceptional examples of contemporary craft as well as art publications. Here, you can touch, hold and purchase a meaningful one-of-a-kind object, extending the museum experience in a way that enhances your everyday life. Notably, all purchases made in The Gallery have a positive impact on the arts economy, with half of every sale going directly to the artist and the other half supporting the Museum’s Exhibition and Education programs.

Central and Accessible

On Portland's lush North Park Blocks, the Museum and its neighbors in the DeSoto Building – Charles Hartman Fine Art, Blue Sky Gallery, Augen Gallery and Froelick Gallery – provide an excellent starting point from which to begin a cultural tour of Portland, a stone’s throw from contemporary galleries on 9th as well as Portland Art Center, Portland Center Stage's Gerding Theater at The Armory, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden and Powell's City of Books. The Portland Art Museum is a five-minute streetcar ride away.

Museum of Contemporary Craft is easily accessible from all over the city, just blocks from arterial bike routes, the bus transit mall and the MAX light rail. With free admission, the Museum is as welcoming as it is accessible.