The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum is the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, designated by the US Congress in 1986.

The Museum’s multisensory and wheelchair-accessible exhibitions explore thousands of years of cultural and natural history with the mission to inspire stewardship of the Columbia River Gorge and Wasco County, and to encourage active life-long learning about our shared environment and the preservation, collection and interpretation of the cultural and natural history of the region.

Collections include hundreds of historic objects, Native American baskets, photographs, local genealogical files and much more available for research. The Raptor Program enables visitors to experience first hand the magnificent creatures flying through the Gorge today.

The Museum’s educational programs serve thousands of local school students and visitors through hands-on ecology and outdoor experiences that share the history and science of this unique region.

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The only liberal arts college art museum in the Northwest, the the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University is located near the Oregon State Capitol in the heart of Salem, Oregon. The museum is a leader in the research on the art of the Northwest, with one of the most significant collections of Northwest art and a history of important publications and exhibitions. The museum’s collections reflect the rich Pacific Northwest culture and explore the history of art around the world.

In 2021, the collection of the former Museum of Contemporary Craft in Portland was transferred to the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. It is now part of the museum’s permanent collection.  This collection of over 1300 objects is one of the oldest craft collections in the country.

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