Pietro Belluschi was the original architect for all the structures of the museum complex, including the 1932 Ayer Wing, the Hirsch Wing constructed in 1938, and the renovated Hoffman Wing constructed in 1968 as the Pacific Northwest College of Art. The 1932 and 1938 wings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the museum is designated as a Portland historic landmark.

The existing College of Art Wing was renovated to gallery and other public use after the College of Art relocated. The project involved the demolition of an existing auditorium, construction of two new floors of special exhibition galleries, the re-configuration of the school wing to provide a group entry off the new sculpture court, a new Museum Shop and Café, and new galleries on the second, third and fourth floors. A new auditorium-film theatre is constructed under the sculpture garden, with an adjacent education center. The project provided a total of 40,000 SF of additional gallery space, including 10,000 SF for travelling exhibitions and 30,000 SF for permanent collections, particularly featuring historic and contemporary northwest coast materials. An additional 20,000 SF was used for the new visitors services and for a new education center, including the auditorium.