Oregon Historical Society Museum
The Oregon Historical Society Museum is a history museum housed at the Oregon Historical Society in downtown Portland, Oregon, United States. The museum was created in 1898 and receives about 44,000 visitors annually.
Established
1898
44,000 (est. 2010)
Kerry Tymchuk
It houses the Portland Penny that decided the city’s name.[1] This 1835 copper penny was flipped to decide between the names of Boston and Portland, with Portland as the winner.[2] The museum contains over 85,000 artifacts, and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
Collections[edit]
The museum contains over 85,000 artifacts relating to the history of the region in its collections.[3] Artifacts include the famous Portland Penny used to decide the name of the city,[2] Captain Robert Gray's storage chest from aboard the Columbia Rediviva, a 10,000-year-old sandal, memorabilia from the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, Native American artifacts, a miniature vehicle collection, and many everyday items from jars to dresses.[14]
Exhibits[edit]
Permanent exhibits at the museum include Oregon My Oregon, a 7,000-square-foot (650 m2) 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.[15] 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.[16]
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 collection.[17] Additionally there are traveling exhibits containing historic photographs.[18]
Other[edit]
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.[19] The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.[20]