Portland, OR

Public art abounds in Portland's popular Sunnyside neighborhood, but the Morrison Street Minigallery is in a class of its own.

Owned and operated by local husband and wife team Alissa and Jerry, the minuscule museum is a pint-sized art gallery that features fully realized, three-dimensional collections in miniature.

Built to foster a sense of community and fuel the neighborhood’s collective creativity, the gallery itself consists of a single white shadowbox. It sits in front of a classic Victorian-style home and looks much like one of the neighborhood’s ubiquitous tiny libraries (from which the owners drew construction inspiration).

On any given month, the gallery may hold a herd of Lilliputian dinosaur busts, tiny primates, or a collection of minuscule sparkling crystals. Everything is arranged as it would be in a typical exhibit and the tiny gallery is adorned with display cabinets, carpets, and even couches.

One could pass by the shadow box without even noticing, but it’s certainly worth a look. Fully perusing the exhibit shouldn’t take too long.