NEWS RELEASE Media contact:
Colleen Schafroth, Executive Director
(509) 773-3733
colleen@maryhillmuseum.org

MARYHILL MUSEUM OF ART IS A NORTHWEST GEM

Founded by the Legendary Sam Hill, the Museum Allows Visitors to Experience World-Class Art in a Majestic Natural Setting

2008 Special Exhibitions Include Percy L. Manser, Grandeur and Light, The Maryhill
Outdoor Sculpture Invitational, and Andy Warhol and Other Famous Faces

(GOLDENDALE, Wash., November 26, 2007) — Maryhill Museum of Art is one of the Northwest’s most fascinating cultural destinations. Set in a castle-like chateau on a stunning 6,000-acre site overlooking the scenic Columbia River Gorge, the museum contains a world-class collection of art that ranges from early 20th century European works to Native American artifacts. Combined with its outdoor sculpture garden, Lewis and Clark interpretive panels and life-size replica of Stonehenge, a visit to Maryhill can fill an entire day as guests experience its many treasures.

First opened to the public in 1940, the museum’s origin is as intriguing as the works of art it contains. Originally built as the home of wealthy entrepreneur and visionary Sam Hill (1857–1931), the massive concrete mansion was to be the centerpiece of a Quaker agricultural community Hill hoped to establish on the property. When the arid landscape proved unsuitable for large-scale farming, the building remained unfinished until a friend convinced him to turn it into an art museum. Hill, a lawyer, businessman, world traveler and staunch promoter of road construction and automobile travel, dedicated the museum in 1926 but died before its completion 14 years later.

The museum’s permanent collection includes a gallery filled with more than 80 sculptures and watercolors by the French master Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), including the only pedestal-sized plaster version of his famous The Thinker. There is also an impressive collection of paintings by French, Dutch, Belgian, British and American artists, and a series of miniature displays highlighting the fashions of post-World War II France. Contrasting with these European works is an extensive Native American collection that includes ancient petroglyphs, intricate baskets and beadwork, and an array of other artifacts from North American tribes. Other highlights include a collection of
unique chess sets, Russian Orthodox icon art, and a gallery dedicated to the royal regalia of Queen Marie of Romania, a friend of Sam Hill’s who presided at the museum’s dedication.

2008 Special Exibitions
Maryhill Museum sponsors numerous experiential programs and events. Special Exhibitions in 2008 include:

Percy L. Manser, Grandeur and Light (March 15 – July 6, 2008). Manser (1886–1973) was an outstanding regionalist of his day, who lived and worked in Hood River, Oregon. Inspired by the grandeur of the mountains and valleys of the region, he began to paint landscapes that quickly became widely popular with residents throughout the Columbia River Gorge. The exhibit marks the 60th anniversary of Manser’s first solo exhibition at Maryhill and includes more than 40 paintings, photographs and documents.

The Maryhill Outdoor Sculpture Invitational (May 10 – October 31, 2008), an annual exhibit in the
museum’s sculpture garden presents large-scale works by some of the Pacific Northwest’s most
noted sculptors including Gregory Glynn, Stuart Jacobson, Alisa Looney, David
Miller, Dennis Peacock, Mylan Rakich and Tom Urban.

Andy Warhol and Other Famous Faces (July 19 – November 15, 2008), from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and his family foundation, the exhibit includes portraits by Andy Warhol (1928–1987) of The Beatles, Sitting Bull, General Custer, Geronimo, Queen Elizabeth II, Jimmy Carter, Marilyn Monroe, Liza Minnelli, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and the emblematic Campbell's Soup Can (Tomato). Also shown are portraits by artists Jennifer Bartlett, Chuck Close, Osvaldo Salas Freire, Red Grooms, Jasper Johns, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Mel Ramos, Robert Rauschenberg, and Tom Wesselman. They portray Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin, Vincent Van Gogh, Ernest Hemingway, John and Robert Kennedy, and others.

Visiting, Dining, Shopping…and Stonehenge

Maryhill Museum of Art is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., March 15 to Nov. 15, 2008. As a private non-profit corporation, the museum is funded by donations, memberships and admission fees of $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and $2 for children age 6–16. Children five and under are free. Special rates are available for groups of 10 or more with advance reservations. The sculpture garden, picnic grounds, the Stonehenge memorial and parking are free.

Visiting Maryhill is easy. Located off Highway 97 in Washington, 12 miles south of Goldendale, it may be accessed from Oregon in 2008 via I-84 (cross on US 197 at The Dalles Dam Bridge approximately 24 miles and 25 minutes to the Museum). Maryhill is a two hour drive east of Portland and four hours southeast of Seattle. Overnight accommodations are available in Goldendale, The Dalles and Hood River.

Café Maryhill is one of the best places to dine between The Dalles and Pendleton, offering a unique atmosphere in which to enjoy great sandwiches, salads, espresso drinks, cold beverages, and freshly baked desserts and pastries. Picnic lunches feature a sandwich served on a fresh rolls, homemade potato salad, fresh fruit and dessert. Watch out for the peacock’s strolling thr grounds!

The Museum Store includes books, jewelry, Native American crafts and mementos to allow patrons to take their visit to Maryhill Museum of Art home.

Four miles east of the Museum is Sam Hill’s replica of England’s neolistic Stonehenge. Hill built the full-scale Stonehenge Monument as a tribute to the soldiers of Klickitat County who lost their lives in World War I. Admission is free from 7:00 a.m. to dusk daily. Hill’s crypt is on the south side overlooking the river. For more information, visit www.maryhillmuseum.org.

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