For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and …
For more than a century, the Oregon Historical Society has served as the state’s collective memory, preserving a vast collection of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscript materials, books, films, and oral histories. Our research library, museum, digital platforms & website (www.ohs.org), educational programming, and historical journal make Oregon’s history open and accessible to all. We exist because history is powerful, and because a history as deep and rich as Oregon’s cannot be contained within a single story or point of view.
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4.5/5 · 473 reviews
5-star
56%
4-star
28%
3-star
3%
2-star
10%
1-star
3%
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Feb 22, 2025
I was so happy to see this was open on a Tuesday because so much in Portland closes on that day. I had a few hours on my own during my recent visit so I walked here from my hotel. I ended up spendi…Full review by RainSeattleMom
Feb 7, 2025
This is a really nice museum that offers a great overview of Oregon's history, from its natural history to its first peoples to statehood and everything between. The exhibits are very interesting, an…Full review by phvi2617
Nov 15, 2024
I really enjoyed the exhibits. The top floor is Oregon history. The second floor is devoted to those affected by all kinds of war and violence. The lower floor is devoted to the history of trans comm…Full review by Teresa S
Hello Kathy D. there are many parking garages in PDX but there is one just directly across Jefferson St. from the Historical building entrance, There is also plenty of street meter …
Hello Kathy D. there are many parking garages in PDX but there is one just directly across Jefferson St. from the Historical building entrance, There is also plenty of street meter parking unless there is an event next door at the concert hall. Enjoy the Historical Museum. !! Cheers! Jim B. PDX
According to their website: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm Sundays: Noon – 5pm Of course, they are closed today (Memorial Day). BTW, when we visited last month, we …
According to their website: Monday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm Sundays: Noon – 5pm Of course, they are closed today (Memorial Day). BTW, when we visited last month, we learned that the main exhibit on Oregon history was closing at the end of April for an extensive renovation. The temporary galleries, gift shop, etc. are still open, but you may want to hold off visiting (or plan on visiting again) when the main exhibit hall is again open.
I'm not sure about tours, however most of the exhibits are self explanatory and/or have a voice recording to explain. The museum is interactive, I didn't miss a tour at all.
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Frequently asked questions
Q:
Do I need to make an appointment before visiting the research library?
A:
OHS’s research library welcomes walk-in researchers and does not require advanced appointments to use the library. Due to space limitations in OHS’s downtown location, most of...