Driving & Parking
The Pacific Northwest College of Art is an urban campus in the heart of the Portland Pearl District. This means that parking on campus is limited. Below are the most convenient public lots for our primary event locations.
PNCA (Building 511)
- City Center Parking (Lot #135) | 475 NW 9th Ave
- Distance: 2-minute walk.
- City Center Parking (Lot #208) | 578 NW 10th Ave
- Distance: 5-minute walk.
Portland Art Museum (Ceremony Location)
- City Center Parking (Lot #164) | 1005 SW Main St
- Distance: 3-minute walk.
- Smart Park Garage | 730 SW 10th Ave
- Distance: 6-minute walk.
Street Parking
Street parking in the Pearl District and Downtown is $3 per hour and is enforced until 7:00 p.m. in many areas. We recommend using the Parking Kitty app to manage your meter from your phone. Information on public parking in Portland can be found on the City of Portland website.
Getting Around Without a Car
For families moving between PNCA and the Portland Art Museum (ceremony location).
Portland Streetcar
The NS Line runs directly between PNCA and the Portland Art Museum.
- Fare: $2.50 for a 2.5-hour pass (Adult).
- Payment: Use your phone’s Tap-to-Pay (Apple/Google Pay) or the Hop Fastpass app on the green readers as you board.
Walking Route
The walk between PNCA and the Portland Art Museum is approximately 20 minutes (0.9 miles). It is a straight shot through the scenic North Park Blocks.
View Best Walking Route on Google Maps
Commencement Art Walk Locations
- Stelo (MFA Print Media): 412 NW 8th Ave.
- Transit: 3-minute walk from PNCA.
- Building 5 (MFA Visual Studies): 2516 NW 29th Ave.
- Transit: We recommend using the Lyft discount code for this location or driving to this location, as it is a longer distance from the main campus.