The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA) is the University of Oregon’s art museum, located on Johnson Lane in the heart of the Eugene campus. It opened in 1933 to house Gertrude Bass Warner’s collection of Asian art, and that founding gift still defines it. Visitors come for its deep holdings of Chinese, Japanese and Korean art, its Northwest regional work, and an active schedule of changing exhibitions.
The original brick building, designed by campus architect Ellis F. Lawrence, opens onto a quiet interior courtyard. Inside, galleries move from imperial Chinese textiles and Japanese prints to Pacific Northwest painting and contemporary acquisitions. The current headliner is Jeffrey Gibson: They Teach Love, drawn from the collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his family foundation. It runs September 12, 2026, through March 7, 2027, in the Coeta and Donald Barker Changing Exhibitions Gallery (JSMA). Gibson’s beaded, text-driven works are bold and colorful, and they pair well with the museum’s quieter permanent collection.
Visitor Highlights & Practical Info
Check the official hours and admission page before you go, because schedules shift with the academic calendar. Weekday mornings are the calmest time to visit. Expect more foot traffic during the term, and plan around Ducks home football weekends, when campus parking becomes difficult. Metered and visitor parking is limited, so consider taking an LTD bus to campus or walking from downtown. Afterward, you can stroll past the nearby Knight Library and its historic quad.
