The Mark Building

This is a really nice addition to the Portland Art museum. Originally an Masonic Temple the museum bought the building way back in 1991, for a long time they just used it as offices but finally in 2005 they connected it to the main building and renovated it into what you see today.
The new gallery space currently uses just part of one side of the building the rest houses the museums library, ballroom, and offices. I have read eventually the offices will move across the street to where the museum owns the parking lot and more gallery will open in the building.
I really like the new galleries. They feel just like what I want a museum to feel, light and bright. It is mostly permanent displays showing works from the museums modern collection. I always start at the top and walk my way down. That way I see the most recent works first and work my way to the impressionists with the Monet’s etc.
I do have one complaint though, there is little seating in the museum areas of this building. That means the seats are usually filled.