About
Mission & History

Schneider Museum of Art
Through the Years

Front of Schneider Building in 1988 at the Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University
Architect Will Martin at the Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University
Front Face of Schneider 1988 in Black and White at the Schneider Museum of Art at Southern Oregon University
This photo from our archives was taken in 1988 and shows the Museum before construction of the SOU Center for the Visual Arts
Above: Schneider Museum of Art Architect Will Martin who “loved to paint seed pods and other botanical subjects,” according to author Richard Ellison Ritz in Architects of Oregon
This photo from our archives was taken in 1988 and shows the Museum before construction of the SOU Center for the Visual Arts

History

The Schneider Museum of Art (SMA) at Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland opened its doors to the public in the fall of 1986. The establishment of a museum was a community/university effort made possible by a gift by Ashland residents, Bill and Florence Schneider. The museum is named in honor of Bill’s parents, Samuel and May Schneider.

The museum was designed by Portland architect, Will Martin. Using elements of color and shape, he captured the essence of other campus buildings and the surrounding landscape. Tragically, the SMA was Martin’s last project. Soon after the groundbreaking, he and his son died in a plane crash over the Grand Canyon.

In 2000, SOU completed construction of new art department facilities, adjacent to the museum, providing students and faculty with easy access to exhibitions and the collection.

Our Mission

The Schneider Museum of Art, part of the Oregon Center for the Arts at Southern Oregon University, is a vital force that stimulates inspiration and curiosity through engagement with living artists. Serving both an academic community and global audiences, the Museum creates a diverse and accessible environment by curating innovative exhibitions, imaginative programming, a distinguished collection, lively discourse and learning.