Explore art, history, science, and culture across Oregon’s innovative museums.
From world-class art galleries to quirky local collections, Oregon’s museums offer something for every curious traveler. Whether you’re exploring Portland’s modern exhibits, diving into Oregon’s pioneer history, or uncovering Native American heritage, each museum tells a unique story of the state’s rich culture, creativity, and natural beauty. Plan your visit today and experience the places where learning comes to life across Oregon’s seven diverse regions.
A few must-see exhibits
- You’ll find more than 150 aircraft, spacecraft and exhibits that tell the story of flight and space exploration, including American aviation icon the Spruce Goose at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in museum.
- You can touch real dinosaur bones in Eastern Oregon at the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center within the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Visitors can observe paleontologists working on fossils in real-time and view ancient bones dating back over 40 million years.
- There’s a museum dedicated to trees and logging because we love our forests. The World Forestry Center in Portland offers insights into Oregon’s timber industry history, featuring exhibits on forestry practices and a display of a vintage Shay steam locomotive named “Peggy,” which was used in early 20th-century logging operations .
- The North American Bigfoot Center in Boring, Oregon, is dedicated to the legend of Sasquatch, featuring exhibits with footprint casts, hair samples, and interactive displays for enthusiasts and skeptics alike.
- Astoria’s Oregon Film Museum celebrates many of the films shot in Oregon, like The Goonies, Kindergarten Cop, Free Willy, Twilight and more. The museum is housed in the former county jail where scenes from The Goonies were filmed.
