Oregon Historical Society

What a fascinating place. A must-​visit for long-​time residents or newcomers to our state. Also free to Multnomah county residents with your driver’s license or mail with address.

The Oregon Historical Society is a great place to learn some things about relevant historical events in a «non-​boring» way. I’d much rather look at tangible things like displays and real-​life items than just reading a book. They have a permanent exhibit about Oregon as well as special traveling exhibits. Currently, there are a couple of special exhibits about Chinese Americans. One is about the experiences of Chinese families in America in general, and the other is about the Chinese American community in Portland in particular. Since I am Chinese American, these exhibits were of personal interest to me, so I took time to read all the individual stories and look at all the knickknacks that are actually familiar to me. I found that the information I learned pretty much matched what my family had told me about my ancestors coming to America. It was an enriching experience. To top that off, I discovered recently that residents of Multnomah County get free admission, so I got in today for free. For a very reasonable price like that, I’ll probably come back to check things out whenever they have any new special exhibits.

Neat little place in Portland, but for $ 11 plus parking downtown, I wouldn’t say it’s a must see. It’ll def. help kill some time if you have some to spare. They have a Chinese American exhibit on the first floor right now that’s pretty neat. It’s quite an interactive exhibit and you’ll learn a few things if you read carefully too. Many points hit home for me as a Chinese American so a lot of it was quite touching. Not much downstairs unfortunately, but the top floor is where all of the Oregon history is. It’s pretty neat too, some cool stuff to see. Overall the place isn’t too big and there isn’t a whole lot going on, but worth a visit if you’re nearby and you’ve hit all of your top Portland destinations.

What a fantastic place to spend a few hours! We originally walked over here to look at the Lewis and Clark mural, but then decided to give the museum a try as well. With a AAA membership, the adult admission fee is $ 10, which isn’t bad at all. The museum had full exhibits on two floors and took us about three hours to get through. My favorite thing was a wall of a map of Oregon and little sticky notes that they wanted visitors to fill out with their favorite Oregon city and why. I couldn’t get a picture of this though because they specifically indicated no photography on that floor.
Having grown up in Portland, I’m surprised we never went to this museum on a field trip.

Attended on a FREE DAY. So very glad we did too. The exhibit displayed was regarding Lincoln. Fascinating yes. Very informative however not overly entertaining.
The museum is much smaller than it first appears. No docents and it seemed chopped up w/​o flow. So much wasted space!

I’ve had the good fortune to learn about WWII in general in school and in particular from my Mom and Dad and many family members who served or lived through it. I’ve always loved those stories, so it was a real pleasure to visit the current exhibit on WWII. It is beautifully designed and curated and has many original source documents hand-​signed by all the familiar leaders of WWII. There are some things, such as a code-​breaking feature, that had been turned into video games which the younger crowd really enjoyed. There was a great minute-​by-​minute «you were there» video about Pearl Harbor that was pretty enthralling. Several uniforms worn by participants on all sides were featured, and I was really surprised by Eisenhower’s leaner and more slender uniform than expected; the man was such a giant that I guess I expected some sort of super-​sized hero outfit.
The Oregon Historical Society is free to Multnomah County residents; just show your ID. Be sure to visit this exhibit as I think you will find it as interesting as I did.

The exhibits were great. The staff was friendly and we are definitely going to join as annual members. The exhibits were very interesting and they seem like they have a great program for members that collaborates with city attractions!

Located in the historic area of downtown Portland, this is a very worthwhile stop on your exploration of Oregon. There is a nice, though little gift shop, but the museum itself has many interesting exhibits about the history of Oregon. My favorite was a permanent exhibition that tells the story of Oregon’s development from its earliest settlers through the Oregon trail. Many of the exhibits are interactive. I recommend this place and it is good for kids and adults.

I usually don’t prepare to write a review on Unilocal,it just happens. The Oregon Historical Society is free to all resident’s of Portland Oregon. With that being said I must say thank you to the staff, there always very helpful and nice. I’ve taken in 2 special exhibits in the past year. The first was 2 years 1 month LINCOLN’S LEGACY. Well worth my time, the exhibit was educational to say the least. The second and most recent was HOW DO I LOOK? A 19^th Century Photography Showcase. By a friend of mine Myrna Goldware. Part of the exhibit was held in the research library on the 4^th floor. I thank Myrna for leading me upstairs because I had never ventured there before. Well worth the .25 cents they paid me to lock up my bag. Other things to do while visiting the Oregon Historical Society is visit The Oregon my Oregon exhibit. Thank you, Oregon Historical Society for making my visit a pleasurable one.

The pale spacey man with white hair, round belly and different sized eyes reminded me of a B grade version Daniel Johnston, the eclectic and insane punk folk musician. He complimented me on my bike with a smile, then refused to offer me my affiliated museum discount.
The $ 11 price tag seemed steep, his stylized formality — annoying — and when I asked for coat check he told me where the unsecured coat closet was.
Things weren’t looking up.
When I asked if the museum was just on the first floor he got cocky and told me with a pretentious air that it was four floors large. The fourth floor being the center of research which I was welcome to use for my own purposes. (?) (eye blink.) The third floor, the permanent history of Oregon exhibit which continued on the second floor.
As he continued he acted mainly stoic
with small facial gestures like how he might imagine a stuffy fancy Shakespearean queen
would act — flourished pomp, hard ego, elitism, and a bit of disdain.
The second and first floors house the rotating temporary exhibits which at the time of writing were «Why aren’t there any black people in Portland.» and «the history of the Portland Electric Company.»
I should have walked out. I should have asked for my money back.
The exhibits were like a cruel joke —
a real museum curatorial embarrassment, a taxpayer funded horror and a waste of space. The elevator lets you out in 1950s Portland in some kind of cheesy living room set, not the start.
I got lost.
I had to walk through the exhibit backward and I never truly felt like I found the beginning. The museum was mostly little set designed rooms like an Indian canoe with blankets and headdresses and an audio overhead of night bug and bird calls you might have heard, or a room of shelves housing beaver pelts.
Knowledge from my brain cells were stolen
As I attempted to read the narration I almost felt frustratingly stoned and then I concluded that it was just bad copy — like the writer of a fifth grade textbook who intentionally kept the text non meaty but added flourishes to make it feel like something more. The content of the museum didn’t really exist, in fact I wouldn’t even call it a museum.
How about a low information panorama.
I kept trying to find a comprehensive guide to the Lewis and Clark journey, but I was so frustrated and confused I think I walked out of the museum actually knowing less.
Ok Daniel Johnston — YOU GOT ME.
A brush with the face of hell — back into the moody cloudy city for a hug.
«See you later.» He said.
I scoffed and narrowed my eyes.
I wanted my $ 11 back so bad.

Okay, I’ll admit that when I visit museums, I don’t thoroughly read many of the displays. However, this history museum was very attractive with wonderful and eye-​catching displays which made it quite interesting.
Most major cities that I have visited have a state history museum and this certainly ranks up there as one of the better ones.
Unfortunately, the gift shop was closed for inventory.

The Oregon Historical Society is an impressive look at the history of Oregon. Near the Park Blocks, the museum is very reachable. I’ve been several times. The museum has some great artifacts and it can often appear very intriguing with all kinds of pioneer memorabilia. They also make Oregon’s history very relatable with things like an imitation MAX train to discuss the modern struggles of Portland.
Sometimes, they’ll have a fun temporary exhibit. They had an exhibit earlier that dealt with a copy of Lincoln’s words. Sometimes, the temporary exhibit will be corny and other times it will be wonderful. The museum does convey a preservationist mindset and attention to detail that is befitting of the great Beaver State. They just could have a few more older artifacts as they do use some replicas.
Overall, it’s something that people in Portland can enjoy once every few years. Make shure that you try the hurricane simulator for $ 2. It’s really fun.

The lady behind the counter was very helpful. If you live in Multnomah County, you get in free. The Abraham Lincoln exhibit was so educational and interesting. A piece of paper with his handwriting was displayed and it gave me the chills to see that.

Wow great museum! I was a little skeptical because of the «Historical Society» name, but it is really an Oregon History museum.
It is the perfect blend of nice exhibits with really interesting visuals. I spent a few hours here last Saturday, but I could have spent many more.
Definitely worth a visit if you are interested in Oregon history and how Oregon is the the way it is today.

Nice museum that’s really discreet if you’re walking by.
The museum is substantial and pretty easy to digest. Still plan on spending a few hours here cause there’s a lot of cool things to see.
My favorite exhibits were the Oregon Wine and Lincoln exhibits. Both these exhibits do NOT allow photography. I was not notified about this and was even misinformed by some of the staff that almost got me into some deep trouble…=/
I’ve been watching Roots and live near Wine Country so both exhibits struck a chord with me. Just sad I couldn’t photograph.=(
My only complaint is that they don’t sell food… I was SOO hungry halfway through the exhibits…=P

Tons of information. Loved the origami exhibit. I would come back when I have more time.

I cannot believe this place wasn’t well attended when I was there on a recent Sunday.
There are wonderful exhibits about life in Oregon and currently there’s an exhibit on the presidents which contain handwritten notes and artifacts from Lincoln, Washington, Kennedy etc. I spent two hours in there but could’ve spent more. It’s a must-​see museum for anyone interested in history. Support his place. I got in for $ 8 because of my student card and AAA card but I donated a few bucks before leaving because attendance was low that day and felt that the museum needed it.
It’s across the street from the art museum which was very well attended. What’s up with that? No one likes history? We must learn from our past or we’ll be destined to repeat our mistakes.

Free is always good so if you live in the county bring your id and get in for free. The museum has an incredible collection of painting, historical artifacts and maps plus some incredibly engaging interactive displays. In total a complete tour gives you a picture of the remarkable courage that folks had to settle this area. Well worth a visit.

Great local museum. Spent several hours learning about Oregon, the Native Americans and the settling of the West. The quilt exhibit was beautiful. Highly recommend.

I had the good fortune to look around the Oregon Historical Society Museum yesterday. The highlight was the Peace Corps exhibit, which was full of interesting stories, fascinating volunteers, and over 40 years of personal history. It was well worth my time to wander around this fascinating portrayal of public service. Sometimes I think my Earthwatch activities is penance for no volunteering for the Peace Corps when I was younger. Of course, it’s still not too late…
I also enjoyed the rest of my time here. I wandered through «Oregon My Oregon» exhibit, enjoyed the retrospective history of the previous incarnation of the Portland Timbers Soccer Team, admired the baskets within the 1^st Floor Gallery, and spend some time browsing in the Museum store. Then off I went across the street to the Portland Art Museum while I still had time.