The Coos Art Museum (235 Anderson Ave., Coos Bay, 541/267-3901, www.coosart.org [1], open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tues.–Fri., 1–4 p.m. Sat., $5 adults, $2 students and seniors), in downtown Coos Bay [2], is the Oregon coast’s only art museum and features primarily 20th-century and contemporary works by American artists, including pieces by Robert Rauschenberg and Larry Rivers.
Etchings, woodcuts, serigraphs, and other prints make up a large part of the permanent collection, which includes several of Janet Turner’s richly detailed depictions of birds in natural settings. Other highlights include Kirk Lybecker’s photo-realistic watercolors.
Don’t miss the Prefontaine Room on the second floor of the museum. Photos, trophies, medals, and other memorabilia of this native-son world-class runner illustrate his credo: “I want to make something beautiful when I run.”
In addition to the permanent collection, recurring events worth detouring for are the May–June juried show of artists from the Western states, and the Maritime Art Exhibit, August–mid-September.
Links:
[1] http://www.coosart.org
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oregon/south-coast/charleston-coos-bay-and-north-bend