Centennial festivities will feature Romanian music and dance, traditional cuisine, regional wines and craft beer, family activities and free museum admission.
GOLDENDALE — One hundred years ago, an estimated 2,000 people climbed a bluff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge to witness an extraordinary moment in Pacific Northwest history: Queen Marie of Romania, granddaughter of Britain’s Queen Victoria, dedicating what would become the Maryhill Museum of Art.
Today, the museum invites the public to celebrate that legacy at its Centennial Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free. Registration is requested at maryhillmuseum.org/centennial-celebration.
The event will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to commemorate the historic royal visit that culminated in Maryhill’s 1926 dedication. Visitors can enjoy Romanian music and dance, traditional cuisine, regional wines and craft beer, children’s activities, historical displays and free museum admission.
Maryhill’s story is one of vision, friendship and an unlikely collaboration. Entrepreneur Samuel Hill imagined a world-class cultural destination overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. His dream was embraced by pioneering French dancer Loïe Fuller, philanthropist Alma de Bretteville Spreckels and Queen Marie of Romania, whose shared belief in art, education, and international friendship helped shape one of the Pacific Northwest’s most distinctive cultural institutions.
Although the museum would not open to the public until May 13, 1940, Queen Marie’s dedication established Maryhill as a place with international connections that continue today. A century later, visitors still come to the museum to experience the remarkable vision that brought these individuals together.
“When Queen Marie dedicated Maryhill, she said, ‘There is a dream built into this place … a dream for today and especially for tomorrow.’ One hundred years later, that dream continues to inspire visitors from around the world,” said Amy Behrens, executive director and CEO of Maryhill Museum of Art. “Our Centennial Celebration honors that remarkable legacy while inviting new generations to experience Maryhill for themselves. Whether it’s your first visit or your 50th, we hope you’ll discover something new.”
The celebration is expected to welcome a large number of visitors from across the country, with invited guests including representatives of the Romanian government and diplomatic community, Romanian-American organizations, elected officials and community leaders.
Queen Marie’s enduring connection to Maryhill will be reflected throughout the day’s festivities. Romanian music and dance performances, traditional Romanian cuisine, Columbia Gorge wines, and a commemorative craft lager brewed exclusively for the centennial by Working Hands Fermentation of Hood River will celebrate the cultural ties established a century ago.
Visitors can also experience three museum exhibitions that highlight Romania’s rich artistic traditions: Romanian Folk Pottery, Romanian Embroidery and Orthodox Icons. A commemorative exhibition exploring Queen Marie's 1926 dedication and its lasting impact on Maryhill’s history will also be on display.
“Queen Marie’s visit to Maryhill 100 years ago created a cultural connection between Romania and the Pacific Northwest that continues today,” said Michael Oros, president of the Romanian American Society and a member of Maryhill Museum of Art’s Board of Trustees. “It is especially meaningful that the Romanian musicians and dancers performing at this celebration are part of the vibrant Romanian community that now calls the Pacific Northwest home. In many ways, we are following in the Queen’s footsteps, celebrating the culture and traditions she brought to Maryhill a century ago.”
Oros will also serve as master of ceremonies for the day’s festivities, which will conclude with hora mare, a traditional Romanian circle dance celebrating friendship, unity and community.
“One hundred years after Queen Marie’s dedication, Maryhill Museum of Art continues to fulfill the purpose imagined by its founders by bringing art, history and people together in one of the Pacific Northwest’s most extraordinary landscapes,” added Behrens. “The Centennial Celebration invites visitors to honor that legacy while helping shape Maryhill’s next century.”
About Maryhill Museum of Art
Perched high above the Columbia River Gorge, Maryhill Museum of Art occupies a Beaux-Arts mansion envisioned by Northwest entrepreneur Samuel Hill. The museum was dedicated in 1926 with the support of Hill’s friends and collaborators, including modern dance pioneer Loïe Fuller, San Francisco arts patron Alma de Bretteville Spreckels and Queen Marie of Romania. Today, Maryhill Museum of Art presents new exhibitions each season alongside its renowned permanent collections, which include more than 80 works by Auguste Rodin, rare international chess sets, European and American paintings, Indigenous art and the Théâtre de la Mode. The museum’s grounds also include the William and Catherine Dickson Sculpture Park and the museum-owned Stonehenge Memorial, a full-scale replica built by Hill as a World War I monument. For more information, visit www.maryhillmuseum.org.
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