Brian Ferriso

For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Ferriso has served as director of the Portland Art Museum since 2006. He is leaving to take over as the new director of the Dallas Museum of Art on Dec. 1.

Shortly after I arrived in Portland nearly 20 years ago, I was riding the streetcar from my temporary apartment near Portland State University to the Portland Art Museum. Coffee in hand, I overheard two people talking.

“What is that building?” one asked.

The other answered: “I think it’s the museum. But I don’t think anything happens there.”

As someone who spent a career working in museums, that is not what I wanted to hear. But as the newly hired director of the Portland Art Museum, I listened to the comment and accepted the challenge.

This month, as the museum prepares to celebrate our

See Full Page