The Southern Ohio Museum and Cultural Center in Portsmouth is undergoing a comprehensive renovation expected to reopen in early 2026. The project has transformed the museum’s interior, added a second wing with outdoor stages for live performances, and created expanded gallery and event space where a former retail building on the Roy Rogers Esplanade once stood.

New additions include a digital art space, a hands-on children’s activity room, and an upgraded 100-seat theater outfitted with a projection system, screen, piano, and curtains from the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University. The museum’s collection of over 25,000 works continues to grow during the closure.

When the museum reopens, it will launch with “Cream of the Crop 2026,” the 21st edition of its biennial juried exhibition open to artists within an 85-mile radius, and “Transcending Craft: Dorothy Gill Barnes,” a retrospective of the internationally known Ohio sculptor who worked with natural materials. Admission to the museum at 825 Gallia Street remains free.

Source: https://www.southernohiomuseum.org/