The Portland Art Museum (PAM) is gearing up for a major facelift, with its doors set to open on a fresh and reimagined space sometime in late 2025. In a development sure to jazz up the Portland cultural scene, the museum is sticking to its original timeline shared with patrons since construction started rolling over a year ago, according to Willamette Week.

At the center of this revamp is a spanking new Mark Rothko Pavilion, a glass haven connecting the museum's Main and Mark buildings that initially faced a hiccup, raising funds without the legal go-ahead for construction. The Architect's Newspaper reports that the 24,000-square-foot structure aims to be a transparent and inviting entryway into PAM's world of art.

With an aim to enhance museum-goer navigation and appreciation for its collections, PAM is poised to shuffle its interior elements around, boasting renewed galleries and intuitive pathways. Further, it's ensuring Native American and contemporary art get more spotlight, and amenities like the café and store are being expanded as part of the overhaul, as per information procured by Willamette Week.

The museum seems confident that they'll hit their ambitious fundraising target, having amassed 86.5% of the needed $141 million, including a hefty $30 million to fatten its endowment cushion. This financial power-up will birth not just the anticipated Rothko Pavilion but also touch up the PAM's older facilities, according to details by The Art Newspaper. The project, brought to life by Vinci Hamp in cahoots with Hennebery Eddy Architects, pays homage to Modernist maven Mark Rothko, whose youth and artistry were cradled between PAM's cultural walls.

Focused on art accessibility and a smoother, more enriching museum journey, the Portland Art Museum's transformation is moving forward full steam, much to the awaiting public's anticipation. These spaces, brimming with the potential for art appreciation, will undoubtedly constitute the city's next tourist and local gem when the doors swing open in 2025.