Columbia River Maritime Museum

OVERVIEW

The Columbia River Maritime Museum provides a passage back in time for guests of all ages by combining history with cutting-edge technology. During your visit, be sure to:

• see the interactive display that identifies the many shipwrecks that occurred at or near the mouth of the Columbia River, dubbed the "The Graveyard of the Pacific"
• watch a brief orientation film, The Great River of the West, that shows just how dangerous the Columbia River Bar can be, even for the most experienced pilots
• roam the six galleries of artifacts and exhibits from the Museum's collection of more than 30,000 objects
• ask about our research library that houses over 10,000 volumes, and our photography archive that contains more than 20,000 images
• try your hand as a pilot in our tugboat simulator
• listen to recorded stories of actual Coast Guard rescues on the Columbia River Bar
• catch a glimpse of the mighty river through huge windows on the north façade of the Museum
• return to the Museum to see new exhibits that change on a regular basis

MISSION

The mission of the Columbia River Maritime Museum is to collect and preserve historical and cultural maritime material relevant to the Columbia River, and to display and interpret selected material from the collections for the education and enjoyment of the public.

HISTORY

The Columbia River Maritime Museum was founded in 1962 when Rolf Klep, a native Astorian, returned to his birthplace after retiring from a successful career as a graphic artist on the East Coast. On his return, Klep - a longtime collector of maritime artifacts - and a group of his colleagues sought to establish a museum to preserve the rich maritime heritage of the entire Columbia River region. They envisioned a museum of national distinction.

Today, the Columbia River Maritime Museum's reputation for the quality of its exhibits and the scope of its collections makes it one of the finest maritime museums in the nation. It was the first museum in Oregon to meet national accreditation standards, and has been designated the official state maritime museum of Oregon.

The Museum embarked on a $6 million expansion in October 2000, increasing its exhibit space to 44,200 square feet. The new space houses interactive exhibits that combine history with cutting-edge technology and numerous Museum acquisitions. On May 11, 2002, the Columbia River Maritime Museum celebrated completion of the expansion along with the Museum's 40th Anniversary.

Six galleries, the Great Hall, and the Lightship Columbia interpret the Pacific Northwest's rich maritime history. Visitors of all ages can experience what it's like to pilot a tugboat, participate in a Coast Guard rescue on the Columbia River Bar, and live in Astoria during the height of salmon fishing. Huge windows along the north wall showcase the Columbia River as a dynamic backdrop for exhibits.

Explore Related Categories