Oregon Museums

Oregon has many fantastic museums for the traveler or resident to visit. Many of these museums teach us of the history of the Pacific Northwest and keep the past alive. Listed here are some of Oregon's great museums my family and I have visited recently.

Sherman Country Historical Museum - located in Moro, Oregon along Highway 97 just south of Rufus Oregon on the Columbia River. Hours are 10:00 to 5:00 May though October. With a rich history to tell of hardship and culture the Sherman county historical Museum is a great place to learn about some of Oregon's and the Pacific Northwest's past history. The museum holds more than 16,000 artifacts and photographs telling the story of 200 years time. Walk the Native American's footsteps and the steps of Lewis and Clark; enjoy learning the hardships of the Oregon Trail pioneers and the settlers who made this a great state.

Maryhill Museum of Art is actually not located in Oregon but a short trip across the Columbia River to 35 Maryhill Museum Drive in Goldendale Washington will give the visitor an amazing day of adventure and education. View exhibits that include Auguste Rodin, American and European Art, Russian Icons and many special exhibits that visitors can discover by visiting www.maryhillmuseum.org

Nearby is the Stonehenge memorial, the Klickitat County Veteran's memorial and the Historic Maryhill Loops Road, just follow the Columbia River down Maryhill Museum Drive and discover these great places.

The History Museum located at300 E Port Marina Drive, Hood River Oregon is one great place to learn the history of the Gorge's farm families and the life of those families. Filled with documents, artifacts and other unique and diverse cultural items the History Museum in Hood River is filled with information about the geographical area and the settlers and their lives. The History Museum celebrates the history of the Oregon Fruit & timber Industries along with the Native American and Pioneer lives that made up the great state of Oregon.

Kam Wah Chung State Heritage Site is located on in John Day Oregon n Canton Street. This historical site is open May 1 to October 31 seven days a week from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Admission is free. Once the home of the Kam Wah Chung & Co. built around 1870 and made of quarried volcanic tuff from the local volcanic sites. The remaining portion of the building was made of pine wood planking and the final upper level was added in the 1890's. This building once was the home of Doc Hay an established herbal medicine doctor who is said to have mastered the pulse diagnosis, he was fondly called the China Doctor of John Day. He treated patients until 1948 in the Kam Wah Chung "clinic" Doc Hay also provided the locals with religious rituals as this area was home to many Chinese residents both in John Day and Canyon City. When visiting the Kam Wah Chung site be sure to take a moment to visit and reflect at Doc Hay's religious shrine it is exquisite to see and heart warming to feel the presence of Doc Hay still at this shrine. While visitors take the tour or self-walk in Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum they will learn of the old ways of apothecary and view literally thousands of items used by both Doc Hay and Lung On while they were in residence at the "Clinic". This well preserved museum and its history is a great learning experience for any visitor to the John Day/Oregon area.