Oregon History Museum

Visitors of all ages, and from all parts of the world, come to the Oregon Historical Society (OHS) each year to learn about Oregon. In 2019 the Oregon Historical Society unveiled a new 7,000 square foot exhibition, Experience Oregon, a dynamic educational space that allows visitors to learn about the countless people, places, and events that have shaped this place. Visitors enter Experience Oregon through a panoramic theater that introduces major themes and sets the stage for the exhibit. Land and water are two of the most pervasive topics covered, displaying the diversity of Oregon’s landscape, as well as people’s historical and ongoing relationships with its resources. Visitors follow a “river” along the floor to reinforce the importance of water to Oregon’s history, and to the many people who call this place home. OHS has scoured our collections to display artifacts from across the state’s geography and history – some on exhibit for the first time. One beloved artifact is the Benson Automobile, one of the first cars built in Oregon. Nils Benson began building this car in 1904, and then displayed it at the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition the following year. Another favorite artifact returning to display is the Scarborough canoe, a quintessential Chinook-style canoe. Photo is by Andie Petikus