Fact Sheet: History of the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

The University of Oregon's art museum opened its doors to the public in 1932. Designed by Ellis F. Lawrence, UO dean of architecture at the time, the museum was built to house the Murray Warner Collection of Oriental Art--more than 3,000 works of art given to the University of Oregon by Gertrude Bass Warner.

The Murray Warner Collection

The Warner Collection was bequeathed to the university in 1921 by Mrs. Warner as a memorial to her late husband, Murray Warner. The original collection primarily represented the cultures of China and Japan. Also included were works from Korea, Mongolia, Cambodia and Russia, as well as American and British pieces that demonstrated an Asian influence.

Building the Museum of Art

The mission to construct an art museum on the University of Oregon campus was initiated by Prince Lucien Campbell, president of the university from 1902 to 1925, and Lawrence, dean of the School of Architecture from 1914 to 1946. President Campbell believed that a university has the major responsibility of becoming a center for culture for the region it serves.

Years later, after completing a $300,000 capital building campaign, construction began in September 1929. Once the entire building was complete, the Museum of Art was officially dedicated on June 11, 1932.

With its elegant exterior brickwork, decorative moldings and iron grillwork, as well as the restful Prince Lucien Campbell Memorial Courtyard, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art building remained one of the most distinctive architectural structures in Oregon and was listed on the National Register for Historic Places. The museum's collections grew to include more than 12,500 objects, encompassing its preeminent collection of Asian art, as well as significant holdings of American and Pacific Northwest art, European art, and Russian icons.

Modernizing and Expanding the Museum of Art

The UO's art museum broke ground on a $14.2 million renovation and expansion in October 2002. The project nearly doubled the size of the facility and revitalized the historic structure, creating an up-to-date visual arts destination for the entire region when it reopens on Jan. 23, 2005.

The design of the Chicago firm, Hammond Beeby Rupert Ainge, Inc., reinvigorates the structure while also respecting its historically important architectural elements and spaces. The presence of natural light in the new spaces, as well as in the Campbell Memorial Courtyard, creates a sense of openness and energy within the museum. Significantly expanded gallery space allows the museum to feature American, European, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean art and to host concurrent temporary exhibitions. Educational facilities in the renovated building will include a hands-on interactive discovery gallery, art-making studio and lecture hall. A new café, museum store and special events spaces opening onto outdoor courtyards will offer public gathering places.

Upon reopening its doors to the public, the recently renamed Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at the University of Oregon seeks to serve as a premier Pacific Northwest visual arts center for exhibitions and collections of historic and contemporary art. The museum plans to continue a long tradition of bridging international cultures and offers a welcoming destination for discovery and education centered on artistic expression that will deepen visitors' appreciation and understanding of the human experience.

Contact: Katie Sproles, (541) 346-0942, ksproles@uoregon.edu