An Art Crawl Through Washington Park
Opportunities to experience art in Portland are endless! Whether you’re local to Portland or a tourist, you’ve probably heard about vibrant exhibits you can find at places like the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and the Portland Art Museum–but you might not be aware of the lesser-known exhibits in Washington Park. Together, these exhibits in the Park form an art crawl, allowing you to immerse yourself in both art and nature. The Washington Park Art Crawl combines the rotating exhibits at World Forestry Center and Portland Japanese Garden, connecting you via the Washington Park Free Shuttle Loop. Both exhibits are included with the cost of admission to the venues, so your art-infused day trip will total less than $30 per person. If you live on a low income and receive food stamps, you can show your Oregon Trail Card at Portland Japanese Garden’s Welcome Center for $5 admission. Here’s how to turn your day in Portland, Oregon into the perfect masterpiece.
First Stop: World Forestry Center
Forest-Inspired Art Exhibits
Start your journey by taking the MAX Light Rail to the Washington Park MAX Station or parking right across from World Forestry Center. (If you plan to drive to Washington Park, be sure to check the price of parking.) The cost of admission to the World Forestry Center is all inclusive, so feel free to explore the first floor of the Discovery Museum before making moves to the art exhibit on the second floor. The current art exhibit, Following Fire, is open through March 30, 2025, exploring the complex relationship between forests and fire.
Following Fire is especially meaningful because the photography featured is a direct response to Oregon’s Holiday Farm Fire, which left over 173,000 acres of forest along the McKenzie River canyon burned. Many Oregonians were severely affected by this fire, and its effects will be seen for decades. 2025 is no stranger to the tragic ruin wrought by wildfires—California is currently experiencing some of the most destructive wildfires the greater Los Angeles area has ever seen. Although this exhibit can generate well-founded emotional reactions, there isn’t a better time to reflect on the powerful changes wildfires bring to our lives. As the World Forestry Center’s exhibit page states: “From an ecological view, Following Fire is driven by curiosity for what is removed by fire, what remains after fire, and how those remnants of the pre-fire forest change over time.” Through stunning visuals and interactive displays, this exhibit will deepen your appreciation for the role fire plays in sustaining ecosystems and shaping our natural world. This exhibit is thought-provoking, eye-opening, and truly unforgettable.
If you’re visiting post-March 2025, don’t fret! World Forestry Center hosts art exhibits year-round. It has hosted countless forest- and tree-related art exhibits over the years. Its last art exhibit, Tree People, weaved Finnish forest mythology with near-forgotten customs and beliefs. Other exhibits have included all sorts of forest themes and art mediums, such as paintings, sculptures, photography, and more!
Second Stop: Portland Japanese Garden
Cultural Art Exhibits
Once you’re finished at World Forestry Center, hop on the Washington Park Free Shuttle Loop and head to Portland Japanese Garden. This ride takes roughly 10 minutes and will drop you off in front of the International Rose Test Garden, across the street from Portland Japanese Garden. Before you check out the art exhibit, pick up a Hot Tea To-Go at Umami Cafe, stroll through serene pathways, and let tranquil surroundings center your soul. After enjoying a peaceful walk, make your way to the Portland Japanese Garden Pavilion and Tanabe art galleries for some more incredible art.
For over a decade, Portland Japanese Garden has hosted the work of more than 75 artists from Japan and all around the world. Just like World Forestry Center, art exhibits are included with the cost of admission to the Garden. Over the years, a myriad of magnificent art exhibits have highlighted a wide range of traditional pottery, several styles of painting, bamboo artwork, masks, textiles, and architecture integral to the fabric of life in Japan. (Art is usually displayed at both the Pavilion Gallery and Tanabe Gallery, but exhibits vary throughout the year.) The Garden’s upcoming art exhibit (February 8 through June 9, 2025), Earthen Elegance, showcases the ceramic art of Bizen—a town in Japan renowned for its tradition in the ceramic arts. This exhibit features functional yet extremely innovative ceramics made out of local materials and an ancient wood-firing process. These exhibits have incorporated distinct themes of healing and restoration, traditional gift-giving, subtle intimacy through artwork, and many more. When visiting the Garden’s art exhibit(s), try to reflect on ways in which you experience peace through connections to art, nature, and with others.
Where Exercise, Nature, and Art Collide
If you’re looking to get your steps in, you can always skip the Washington Park Free Shuttle Loop and hike from World Forestry Center to Portland Japanese Garden. This expedition doesn’t require extreme physical effort—it’s about 1.5 miles (one way) and only 30 minutes or so to reach the Garden. Before you make your way up the serene steps through the Entry Garden of Portland Japanese Garden, take a stroll through the International Rose Test Garden. The roses are pruned during the winter season, but it’s still a lovely place to stop and take a break. What other art crawl enables you to experience lush forests, thousands of plant species, and a Rose Garden between exhibits? You’d be hard pressed to find another experience like this in Portland, Oregon and the greater Pacific Northwest.
Here’s the trail route we recommend:
- Starting from the World Forestry Center, take the sidewalk along Knights Boulevard and go past the Oregon Vietnam Veteran’s Living Memorial.
- Cross the road to the Vietnam Veteran’s parking lot and access the Overlook Trail.
- From the Overlook Trail, merge onto the Maple Trail and follow the trail until it connects with the Wildwood Trail heading toward the archery range.
- Continue on the Wildwood Trail past the archery range until it intersects with the MAC Trail.
- Take the MAC Trail across Kingston Drive and through the big meadow, across the train tracks, and around the water tower.
- Stay on the MAC Trail until you reach the Washington Park Children’s Playground.
- Take the sidewalk up the hill along Sherwood Boulevard. You can stop and take a break at the International Rose Test Garden or head on past the tennis courts until you reach Portland Japanese Garden’s Welcome Center
- Hooray! You made it and are now at your final stop of your art crawl.
Trip Tip: If you’d like to get a little exercise in, but don’t want to walk too much, you can always hike your way from World Forestry Center to Portland Japanese Garden and take the Washington Park Free Shuttle Loop back to your parked car or the Washington Park MAX Station.
A True Art Crawl Immersed in Nature
“Crawl” through the Park and enjoy an impressive range of incredible art, reach both art exhibits by riding the Washington Park Free Shuttle Loop (or take a marvelous hike), stroll through Portland Japanese Garden’s relaxing paths, and learn lots about our beloved forests in World Forestry Center’s Discovery Museum. Most importantly, stay in touch with both Portland Japanese Garden and the World Forestry Center’s websites so you can come back and experience new art exhibits! There’s so much more for you to explore in Washington Park, and art is just the beginning.
Washington Park Insider
Be first to know about upcoming events, learn about closures or construction that may impact your next visit, and get insider tips for a magical, memorable, and fun day in Portland’s premier park. Subscribe >>
