"[1] It was known as one of the few centers in the United States to focus on the relationships between art and craft, programming robust shows exploring a wide variety of artists, materials and techniques.

[3][4] Located at 3934 SW Corbett Avenue at its founding in 1937, the museum was relocated to 724 NW Davis Street, in downtown Portland's Pearl District, as of July 2007.

The museum housed a permanent collection of over 1200 objects, all of them gifts, that documented the history of craft in the Pacific Northwest for over seven decades.

[3] Ellis Lawrence also raised funds for the project and convinced university vice-president Burt Brown Barker to apply for construction grants for it from the Works Progress Administration (WPA).

[10] Artist-in-residence Ken Shores became the first paid director in 1964, changing the organization's name in 1965 from The Oregon Ceramic Studio to the Contemporary Crafts Gallery.

In 1987 the organization celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, which was marked by the publication of 3934 Corbett: Fifty Years at Contemporary Crafts by Jane Van Cleeve.

[14] The building underwent several renovations,[3] most notably in 1998 when the Marlene Gabel Gallery was built, designed by Northwest Regional style architect William Fletcher.

[16] In 2007, the organization relocated to 724 NW Davis Street in the historic DeSoto Building on Portland's North Park Blocks, and was renamed the Museum of Contemporary Craft.

[16] As part of the grand opening at its new location, Portland artist Tom Cramer was commissioned to paint an unofficial BMW Art Car.