Columbia River Maritime Museum facts for kids
View from southwest in 2012
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| Established | Association: 1962 Museum: 1963 |
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| Location | Astoria, Oregon, U.S. |
| Type | Maritime museum |
| Collection size | 30,000 objects |
| Visitors | Approx. 100,000 (annually) |
The Columbia River Maritime Museum is a special place in Astoria, Oregon. It teaches visitors all about the history of the sea and rivers. This museum is located near the big Columbia River in the Northwestern United States.
It is known across the country for its amazing exhibits and large collections. It was the first museum in Oregon to meet high national standards. The museum is officially recognized by the American Alliance of Museums. It is also the official state maritime museum for Oregon.
The museum first opened its doors in August 1963. It was located in the Old Astoria City Hall back then. In 1982, the museum moved to its current spot right on the waterfront. The building was made even bigger and better in 2001 and 2002.
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History of the Museum
The idea for the Columbia River Maritime Museum started in 1962. A commercial artist named Rolf Klep, who loved collecting old marine items, helped create the museum association. People helped by donating money. The group then bought the Old Astoria City Hall building. This building became the first home for the new museum.
The museum hired its first director in January 1963. The Columbia River Maritime Museum officially opened to the public in August 1963. It was located at 1618 Exchange Street.
Moving to the Waterfront
In the early 1970s, the museum started raising money again. They planned to build a new, larger museum right on the city's waterfront. This new location would offer more space for their growing collection of artifacts. It would also be close to historic ships, like the Lightship Columbia, which were docked in Astoria.
Construction on the new building began in May 1975. It cost about $2.75 million to build. The museum moved to its new waterfront home in May 1982. The new building offered 37,000 square feet of space. It was built on a 2.5-acre site.
Big Expansion in 2001–2002
The museum celebrated its 40th anniversary on May 11, 2002. At the same time, they celebrated a big $6 million project. This project remodeled and expanded the museum. The renovation increased the exhibit space to 44,200 square feet. It now holds many interactive and historical exhibits.
Visitors can experience what it's like to steer a tugboat. They can also take part in a Coast Guard rescue on the dangerous Columbia River Bar. You can also imagine living in Astoria when salmon fishing was very popular. Large windows in the museum let the Columbia River become a living background for the exhibits. Many exhibits are interactive and you can touch them. Some even include interviews with people who were part of the events shown.
What the Museum Collects
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The Columbia River Maritime Museum collects and shows items from the Columbia River and the Pacific Northwest. All items in the museum's collection are donations. The collection has more than 30,000 objects. It also has 20,000 photographs and a research library with 10,000 books.
Some of the interesting items you can see include:
- The bridge of the WWII Destroyer USS Knapp
- A 44-foot U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboat (number 44300)
- A 36-foot U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboat
- The 32-foot troller Darle
- Two gillnetter vessels (fishing boats)
- The Lightship Columbia, WLV-604
- The Sai-shou Maru, a boat from Japan. It crossed the Pacific Ocean after a big tsunami in 2011.
- The Bar Pilot boat, Peacock
- A Third order Fresnel Lens (a special type of lighthouse lens)
The museum's collections include many types of maritime items. You can see models of ships, full-size boats, paintings, figureheads (carved figures on the front of ships). There is also all kinds of gear, clothing, weapons, and tools. These items were used in commercial, private, and military operations on the water. An introductory film, The Great River of the West, shows the bar pilots working on the dangerous Columbia River Bar.
Barbey Maritime Center
A newer part of the museum is the Barbey Maritime Center for Research and Industry. It opened in January 2013. This center is located in the Astoria Railroad Depot. This building used to be a train station. It is about 600 feet east of the main museum.
The 6,000-square-foot building was designed in 1925. It was built for the Spokane, Portland & Seattle Railway. Passenger trains used it regularly until 1952. The railroad company later donated the brick building to the maritime museum in 1987. The city's Historic Landmarks Commission called the building historic in 1988.
However, the building was not used much for many years. By 2011, it was in need of repairs. It also had some minor earthquake damage in 2001. In 2011, plans began to fix it up and use it. Work started in June 2012. This work included making it accessible for everyone and strengthening it against earthquakes. They also restored the historic doors and windows. The museum plans to use part of the building for building boats. Clatsop Community College also uses it for classes on historic preservation.
A special ceremony for the Barbey Maritime Center was held on January 25, 2013. The center focuses on boat-building and its local history. It is open to the public every day. Many classes and demonstrations are offered, including actual boat building. The center is named after the Barbey family. They were important in the local fish packing industry. They also operated the last fish cannery in Astoria.
See also
- List of maritime museums in the United States
- List of museum ships
