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The days of only being able to view art exhibits virtually will soon come to an end, as the Portland Art Museum has set a date for its partial relaunch later this month.
The downtown institution will reopen July 16 with four straight days of free admission as a bit of a welcome back gift for patrons who haven't been able to step foot inside the building since March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition to a gradual rollout of services, the museum has put several measures into place to help ensure the safety of both visitors and employees as the outbreak continues.
First, you can expect modified days and hours as well as timed-entry admission. The museum will be accessible 10 am-5 pm Thursday through Sunday, with a members-only hour 10-11 am every open morning beginning July 23.
Tickets must be purchased in advance on the museum's website to ensure everyone has an assigned time slot and crowds don't form, and visitors should be in and out in an hour or less. If that sounds like you'll be rushed through the collection of exhibitions, the initial opening phase will only allow access to a limited number of galleries to help people spread out. Exceptions to the time limit will be made for people with disabilities.
Anyone hoping to enter the museum must wear a mask, including children 2 and older, and the facility has stepped up its cleaning procedures to go above and beyond state guidelines.
Even though the museum had estimated that, together with the NW Film Center, it would lose $1 million in revenue a month during the COVID-19 closures, it is continuing its commitment to provide free admission for children 17 and younger. And since not every room and wing will be open, entry fees for adults will be discounted from $20 to $10 beginning July 23.
You won't be allowed to watch a movie inside NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium anytime soon, but programming is still being offered online. And, like other local businesses from strip clubs to breweries, the media arts organization is turning to car entertainment in the era of COVID. Later this summer, it will start hosting drive-in movies at Zidell Yards.
Related: Portland Art Museum and NW Film Center to Place 80 Percent of Their Staff on Unpaid Leave