Published: September 22, 2025
he Portland Museum of Art (PMA) has officially started construction of their brand new expansion to their downtown campus. The bold expansion, which was initially revealed in late 2022, will replace the old Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine building, located directly next to the PMA. After the building’s demolition, part of the site will be temporarily used as a public space to display community artwork as construction commences.
The expansion underscores the PMA’s “Art for All” mission, which works to sustainably create an open and vibrant space for the Maine community to gather and enjoy, while committing to fostering equity and diversity. “It’s time to envision the next great era in PMA history,” PMA director Mark H.C. Bessire stated, “one sparked through new, world-famous collections and an architecturally innovative and unified campus that serves as an epicenter for conversation, connection, and community.”
The expansion’s design was chosen after the PMA hosted an international design competition to find the best suitor to take on such an ambitious project. After much contention, with over 100 firms competing from over 20 different countries, LEVER Architecture was selected as the winner of the PMA’s international design competition. Based in Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles, California, LEVER Architecture boasts an impressive resume of work, having previously designed buildings for NBC Universal Studios and Adidas Headquarters. LEVER hopes that the new PMA building will serve as a “landmark for the future.” The design is emblematic of the PMA’s mission to bring “Art for All,” and honors Maine history with references to the Wabanaki community and the use of timber from the state’s bustling lumber industry for construction. The curvature of the roof silhouettes the sun as it rises and sets, a tribute to this land that the Wabanaki call Wabanakik — Dawnland.
LEVER architecture hopes to complete construction by 2027, but in the meantime, the Portland Museum of Art’s main campus can be found and enjoyed in Congress Square in Portland, with free admission for students.
