Ashton M.
Google
This is a really thoughtful, engaging, and well-designed museum that works for all ages. We spent about an hour and a half here, but we really needed 2 hours to see all the exhibits (if you're reading in detail, like we were).
It's arranged in a loop, starting with Indigenous history of Oregon, moving to geologic history, and discussing modern-day changes in climate and landscape. There's a big exhibit on bull kelp that has all the signs in both Spanish and English, and this one is especially good for kids. There's also an exhibit that is mostly large photographs about the wolves of Yellowstone, telling a visual narrative.
The museum shows many artifacts from the last 15,000 years or so made or used by Native Americans. This section was culturally sensitive, historically accurate, and invited visitors to think more deeply about this land and its history. The artifacts also had descriptions and approximate dates of creation, the methods of which were described in fairly simple terms for non-scientists.
The rest of the museum also had accessible language in signs, diagrams, and charts demonstrating the processes of plate tectonics, earthquakes, and other geological occurrences.
