Want to learn virtually everything about the state of Oregon? This is THE place. Oregon has a shady past which is covered at length. Some would say woke, I say truthful. The beauty of the state and its eventual shedding the past is also covered. It covers it all from the arrival of settlers to the current day.

I recently visited this museum for the first time with some old friends while visiting Portland for the first time in eight years. This was my first visit to Portland ever in which sightseeing around Portland itself was a priority, rather than secondary to something else (like trying to get across town to see Mt. St. Helens). My friends got in for free because they are Portland residents but I had to pay the $14 admission fee. This museum is not too big but it still provides an excellent, well-rounded and richly detailed overview of the history of Portland and Oregon in all its complexity. I definitely recommend this museum to anyone curious about Portland.

This was well done. Interesting was the early explorations of Oregon. Lots of acknowledgement given to native Americans with artifacts and photos. I didn't care for the section on Japanese although it was interesting. Recommended.

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 spending three hours until it closed. There was a free locker so I didn't have to carry anything. I spent the most time upstairs in Oregon history. They tell the real history here (good, bad and ugly), and I respect this! I went through a local art gallery exhibit, as well as an area about a local Hispanic college on the second/entry floor. And downstairs was the Portland history (good, but not as good as the Oregon history). I was so impressed with this place. If you love history and/or museums then I strongly recommend!

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, and they do a good job of exploring the complex history of the state. Admission is very reasonable, and it's a nice way to spend a couple hours.