The Oregon Historical Society Museum is a

history museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

housed at the

Oregon Historical Society The Oregon Historical Society (OHS) is an organization that encourages and promotes the study and understanding of the history of the State of Oregon, within the broader context of U.S. history. Incorporated in 1898, the Society collects, pres ...

in downtown

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The museum was created in 1898 and receives about 44,000 visitors annually. It houses the

Portland Penny The Portland Penny is the name subsequently given to a specific copper Matron Head, matron head one-cent coin, used to decide the name of Portland, Oregon, United States. The City of Portland's two founders, Francis Pettygrove from Portland, ...

that decided the city’s name. This 1835 copper penny was flipped to decide between the names of Boston and Portland, with Portland as the winner.Portland combines city life with views of the Cascades, ''

The Star-Ledger ''The Star-Ledger'' was the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey. The newspaper ceased print publication on February 2, 2025, but continues to publish a digital edition. In 2007, ''The Star-Ledger''s ...

'', July 18, 2004 The museum contains over 85,000 artifacts, and is accredited by the

American Alliance of Museums The American Alliance of Museums (AAM), formerly the American Association of Museums, is a non-profit association whose goal is to bring museums together. Founded in 1906, the organization advocates for museums and provides "museum professionals w ...

History

The

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

is operated by the

. It began at the end of the 19th century with a small museum located at Portland City Hall in downtown Portland.History.
Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved on February 29, 2008. In 1913, the historical society and the museum moved from city hall to the Tourny Building, at 2nd and Taylor streets. In 1917, they moved again, to the then-new Public Auditorium (later Civic Auditorium, then

Keller Auditorium Keller Auditorium, formerly known as the Portland Municipal Auditorium, the Portland Public Auditorium, and the Portland Civic Auditorium, is a performing arts center located on Clay Street in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. It is part ...

). In 1966, the museum relocated again to its current home on the

South Park Blocks The South Park Blocks form a city park in downtown Portland, Oregon. ''The Oregonian'' has called it Portland's "extended family room", as Pioneer Courthouse Square is known as Portland's "living room". Twelve blocks in length, it is intersecte ...

, at 1200 SW Park Avenue. The Society originally owned the full city block between Madison and Jefferson streets and SW Park and Broadway, but sold part of this property in 2014 when it sold the Sovereign Hotel. There is a large two-part mural on this nine-story building called '' Oregon History'', painted by Richard Haas; of the two murals, that on the building's west side depicts the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

. Emporis. Retrieved on February 29, 2008. Part of the sales agreement stated that both the building, built in 1923, and the mural would be preserved. The museum's lobby was remodeled in 2002–2003 at a cost of $3.75 million. Attendance in 2002 totaled 26,791 patrons for the museum. For much of its history the historical society received funding from the state and from Multnomah County, but in 2003 that ended. The 2007 legislature allocated $625,000 to the society, followed by $2.5 million in for 2009 to 2011. A ballot measure was later passed by Multnomah County voters providing funding; in exchange county residents get free admission. The museum's attendance totaled about 44,000 visitors in 2010.

Collections

The museum contains over 85,000 artifacts relating to the history of the region in its collections. Artifacts include the famous

used to decide the name of the city, Captain Robert Gray's storage chest from aboard the ''

Columbia Rediviva ''Columbia Rediviva'' (commonly known as ''Columbia'') was a privately owned American ship under the command, first, of John Kendrick, and later Captain Robert Gray, best known for being the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe, a ...

'', a 10,000-year-old sandal, memorabilia from the

Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition The Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, commonly also known as the Lewis and Clark Exposition, and officially known as the Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition and Oriental Fair, was a worldwide World's fair, exposition h ...

, Native American artifacts, a miniature vehicle collection, and many everyday items from jars to dresses.

Exhibits

Permanent exhibits at the museum includ
Oregon My Oregon
a display covering Oregon’s history from early settlement to current times. Significant items include a reproduction of a ship's hull, a 1940s-era mercantile store, a complete lunch counter from a diner, and a 9,000-year-old sandal. This exhibit won a silver 2005 MUSE Award in the History and Culture category from the American Alliance of Museums for the lunch counter display entitled Modern Oregon Issues. The museum also houses traveling exhibits such as one commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark Expedition in 2005. In 2001, the center exhibited historic Native American trade blankets from the

Dale Chihuly Dale Chihuly ( ; born September 20, 1941) is an American glass artist and entrepreneur. He is well known in the field of Glassblowing, blown glass, "moving it into the realm of large-scale sculpture". Early life Dale Patrick Chihuly was born on ...

collection. Additionally there are traveling exhibits containing historic photographs.

Other

The Oregon Historical Society also contains the society’s research library and historic photograph collection. Additionally, the museum store sells items such as books and history memorabilia. The museum is accredited by the

.List of Accredited Museums.
American Alliance of Museums. Retrieved April 6, 2013.

References

External links

Jefferson Room
* ttp://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1216/is_n2_v193/ai_15714453/pg_3 Steve Lorton & Bonnie Henderson. Rainy Day Portland.

Sunset Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its Earth's rotation, rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it ...