CAM Retrospective

In the milestone year of 2026, Coos Art Museum presents a retrospective of our history. In a moment that marks the 90th anniversary of our 1936 Art Deco home and the first time a gallery is dedicated exclusively to the Permanent Collection, this exhibit honors the people, place, and persistence that built the Museum.

Architectural drawings of the historic post office ground the exhibition in the building itself, a civic landmark transformed by community will into a home for art. Works by founding artists such as Maggie Karl, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mabel Hansen speak to the vision of our beginnings. The exhibition also highlights artworks cared for through the Adopt an Artwork program, including pieces adopted by Tom Foster and Del Smith, who’s quiet commitment reflects a truth at the heart of this institution: our Museum thrives because of people who believe South Coast art matters.

More than a look back, this exhibition affirms why the Museum exists at all. We honor the legacy entrusted to us and renew our promise to carry it forward, confident that the next chapter will be shaped, as it always has been, by community.

On view for an extended run, CAM Retrospective is the longest-running Permanent Collection exhibition in Coos Art Museum’s history, offering visitors more time to experience works and stories that continue to shape the Museum.