Portland Museums & History Tours

Museums

Architectural Heritage Center

The Architectural Heritage Center mounts rotating gallery exhibits drawn from the largest collection of architectural artifacts in the West and offers walking tours, lectures and hands-on workshops.

Open Wednesday-Saturday; admission charged. Open late the first Friday of every month.

Admission: $5 for exhibits; prices for tours and other events vary.

701 S.E. Grand Ave. / 503.231.7264

The Hat Museum

Inside The Hat Museum, visitors will find a surprising collection of more than 900 hats � ranging from vintage and retro headwear to modern and novelty lids. While the display itself is certainly a curiosity, so too is the 1910 Craftsman-style house. Once the residence of a talented milliner, it's packed with quirky charm like backwards-hung doors, secret nooks and a life-size painting of a mermaid on the dining room ceiling.

Open by reservation only, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. daily; admission charged.

1928 S.E. Ladd Ave. / 503.232.0433

Museum of Contemporary Craft

The Museum of Contemporary Craft is one of Portland's oldest cultural institutions and its new iteration is poised to bring greater awareness to the organization's rich seventy-year legacy.

Open Tuesday-Saturday. Closed Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission charged; free admission and later hours on the first Thursday of every month.

724 N.W. Davis St. (on the North Park Blocks) / 503.223.2654

Oregon History Museum

Explore Oregon's fascinating history at the Oregon History Museum, located on the historic South Park Blocks in downtown Portland. The museum is home to many exhibits, including the award-winning "Oregon My Oregon." Travel the Oregon Trail, witness Native culture and view spectacular traveling exhibits on your next visit to the Oregon History Museum.

Open Tuesday-Saturday; admission charged

1200 S.W. Park Ave. / 503.222.1741

Oregon Jewish Museum

The Oregon Jewish Museum maintains the largest collection in existence of the documented and visual history of the Jewish people of Oregon.

Closed Saturdays; admission charged.

1953 N.W. Kearney St. 503.226.3600

Oregon Maritime Center and Museum

Experience the adventure of river life when you explore the Oregon Maritime Center and Museum, housed in the historic sternwheeler "Portland" on the Willamette River. Tour the pilot house and engine room, discover maritime artifacts and learn about local nautical history.

Open Wednesday-Sunday. Closed Dec. 24-25, Dec. 31, Jan. 1 and Easter. Admission charged.

Waterfront Park Southwest Naito Parkway at Pine Street / 503.224.7724

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

One of the nation's leading science museums, OMSI is 219,000 square feet of brain-powered fun. Five enormous halls bring science to life with hundreds of interactive exhibits and displays. You can experience an earthquake, take part in live lab demonstrations, see a movie in the OMNIMAX Dome Theater, explore the universe in a world-class planetarium and even tour a real submarine. Located on the east bank of the Willamette River.

Open daily in the summer (mid-June through Labor Day); Tuesday-Sunday the rest of the year. Admission charged.

1945 S.E. Water Ave. / 503.797.4000

Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center Japanese American History Museum

The Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center serves as a focal point for the preservation and sharing of the history and culture of the Japanese American community in Portland's Old Town neighborhood.

Open Tuesday-Saturday; $3 suggested donation.

121 N.W. Second Ave. / 503.224.1458

Pittock Mansion

High in the West Hills of Portland, Pittock Mansion soars 1,000 feet above the city's skyline. A century-old symbol of Portland's dramatic transformation from a small lumber town to a bustling city, it's an architectural wonder. With picture perfect views of rivers, forests, bridges and mountaintops � and 23 storied rooms teeming with treasures � no other place in town offers a more breathtaking view or a more revealing glimpse of Portland's past.

Open daily; closed major holidays and all of January. Admission charged.

3229 N.W. Pittock Drive. / 503.823.3623

Portland Art Museum

The oldest museum in the Northwest, thePortland Art Museum, is internationally renowned for exciting art experiences. Tour the world and travel through history in the magnificent permanent collection galleries, including the centers for Northwest and Native American Art, six stories of modern art and special exhibitions.

Open daily; admission charged. Children 17 and under free. Admission is free on the fourth Friday of every month from 5-8 p.m. The museum also offers four free Sundays a year (check calendar).

1219 S.W. Park Ave. / 503.226.2811

Portland Children's Museum

One of the oldest children's museums in the country, the Portland Children's Museum is filled interactive exhibits where little ones can build, sculpt, and splash in the name of discovery.

Open daily March 1 - Sept. 6; Tuesday-Sunday the rest of the year. Admission charged. Free admission and later hours on the first Friday of every month.

Washington Park 4015 S.W. Canyon Road. / 503.223.6500

Wells Fargo History Museum

At the Wells Fargo History Museum in downtown Portland, explore the roles Wells Fargo and Oregon played in each others' history, from the Cal-Oregon Stageline, to riverboats of gold on the Columbia River, and to banking and express for Oregon's communities.

Open Monday-Friday; free.

Wells Fargo Center 1300 S.W. Fifth Ave., second floor. / 503.886.1102

World Forestry Center Discovery Museum

The family-focused World Forestry Center Discovery Museum features interactive exhibits designed to educate visitors about the sustainability of forests and trees of the Pacific Northwest and around the world.

Open daily; admission charged. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.