The Hallie Ford Museum of Art was founded in 1998 to support the liberal arts curriculum of Willamette University, and to serve as an intellectual and cultural resource for the City of Salem and beyond. We collect, preserve, exhibit, and interpret historical and contemporary art, with an emphasis on regional art.
From its inception, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art has been many things to many people. This spirit of inclusiveness resonates throughout the museum, which is a place:
- that celebrates creativity, beauty, and the human spirit as reflected in the art of other cultures, other places, and other times;
- of discovery, wonder, mystery, and magic;
- that celebrates and cherishes the art of our region, from the Oregon scene painters of the 1920s and 30s to contemporary art of today;
- of quiet contemplation and reflection;
- that acknowledges the important contributions that Native American artists have made, and continue to make, to the cultural fabric of our region;
- that provides a lively forum for the interchange of ideas;
- that collects and preserves objects of the highest quality, safeguarding those objects for future generations;
- that values art and ideas, and aims to make original contributions and to expand scholarship in the field;
- that provides opportunities for learning and personal growth;
- that is a good steward of human and financial resources while maintaining a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship;
- that is energetic, lively, stimulating, challenging, thought-provoking, celebratory, and fun;
- that brings art and people together, and makes a difference in people's lives.
I hope that you enjoy exploring our Web site, and I look forward to seeing you at the Hallie Ford Museum of Art soon. Thank you for your interest and support!
John Olbrantz
The Maribeth Collins Director
