Speciality Museums in Portland
THE 10 BEST Portland Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums in Portland
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- Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, number of page views, and user location.
Speciality & Gift Shops • Art Galleries
Northwest District
Speciality Museums
Northwest District
Speciality & Gift Shops • Speciality Museums
Art Galleries • Speciality Museums
Speciality & Gift Shops • Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums • History Museums
Speciality Museums
Zoos
Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums
Old Town - Chinatown
Art Galleries • Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums
Speciality Museums • Natural History Museums
What travellers are saying
- BvROregon168 contributionsOMSI is always a family favorite- so many great exhibits and the submarine CANNOT be missed! Kids love the gift ship of course.Written 5 January 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- BvROregon168 contributionsBeautiful building and moving artwork. This place offers such a great experience for families. Even better it’s bookable for events as well.Written 5 January 2025This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- NeoWasHereFrederick, MD3Â 939 contributionsI know it's freaky, but true. When we asked our son where he wanted to go for a summer vacation trip, he showed us pictures of this Freakybuttrue Peculiarium and Museum. It was then we knew and decided that Oregon was where we were headed to explore. Parking for us was found about one block up and right off of NW Thurmont Street. We paid $2 to the City of Portland using their official mobile parking app, Parking Kitty. Pay to Park up to 4 hours is required in this area of the city 9AM-7PM Mon-Sat unless you have a Zone M permit. We didn't have a Zone M permit, nor do we know or care what that is.
Back in 2019, this same store and museum cost $5 for admission. Fast forward five years later to 2024 and it's $10 for a Gallery Admission One Ticket. Does that mean that in 2029, visitors can expect to pay $20? Woops, I shouldn't have divulged that information that I learned using my time machine since it may cause a paradox. So very sorry.
A poster on the front of the shop provides answers to "What the Heck is This Place? The Peculiarium is an ART GALLERY, featuring urban legends, pop culture, movies, sci-fi, and all things peculiar". We went in and saw what may have been a sculpture of a Deep Ones, a fish-like creature from the novel, The Shadow Over Innsmouth, written by H. P. Lovecraft. There was a framed photographed picture of Cassandra Peterson, who has played Elvira, Mistress of the Dark since 1981. Elvira herself visits Freakybuttrue every year on July 3rd. Don't miss the funny recounting of The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens told by a Peculiarium Intern. We also found a Wacked comic book on The Adventures of Tonya Harding and Her Pals. Who in the world is Tanya Harding? She's just some ice skater from Portland some may say. If you pay extra close attention, you may notice the singer Katy Perry may have also been interested in this particular display area. We also got to enjoy a haunted dollhouse, Vampire killing kit, alien autopsy, Bigfoot, Alfonse "Al" Capone memorabilia, and all things weird and peculiar.
Go with others. Have fun and take pictures at some of their exhibits like the cliffhanger skyscraper parapet and the alien autopsy table. Anything that you can look back at later to remember all the fun you had after deciding to stop by this little shop, that used to be a grocery store back in the 1960s, in northwest Portland is highly recommended.Written 16 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - alitravels_12London, UK60 contributionsAlthough the museum was officially closed when we visited Portland, the volunteers were busy working on this old paddle steamer which still does the occasional trip on the river and houses a small museum which will soon be open once more. We took a chance, and on finding the bankside gate unlocked went aboard and were greeted with friendly enthusiasm and treated to an informative and thorough tour of the boat. Our guide took the trouble to show us around and explain the workings and history of the boat and also the preservation efforts of the team. It was wonderful to see such dedicated volunteers in action, they deserve to make a success of this project. When the gates open officially, pay them a visit, a unique piece of Oregon history.Written 8 July 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- azroyalsfanPhoenix, AZ350 contributionsStopped in here while I was wondering Washington Park! They were having a free admission day so I checked it out. Lots of hands on displays and vignettes. Kids will love it. Not sure what the actual admission is but I'd say a good value at $10-15. Not sure I'd pay anything higher than that.Written 7 December 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Jeff BSeattle, WA1Â 240 contributionsVisited this excellent, small museum with my wife and daughter. Exceeded expectations. Well-organized museum that provides a short explanation of Japanese immigration to the Pacific NW, especially Oregon, and a succint yet deeply touching description of the experince of Japanese Americans who were interned by the US gov't during WW2. The small gift shop has unique, lovely Japanese-themed items.Written 29 November 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- tumbleweedchrisRichland, WA1Â 018 contributionsThis Puppet Museum is a one room puppet workshop that also furnishes a puppet collection for viewing. It has some great puppets on display from a variety of puppet types. Taken by itself, this is a decent, but short, stop. If the staff are there, this makes the museum a 5 star attraction. They have an incredible knowledge of puppetry and are actively creating for festivals, movies, and TV. Don't come expecting room after room of exhibits. This is a small museum run by passionate people. If that is your thing, be sure to put this on your list of things to do in Portland. If you want to wander a large museum on your own, this one isn't for you.Written 29 October 2023This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- Alan ZTampa, FL1Â 631 contributionsMy wife LOVES Hats, so when I mentioned to her that in Portland where we planned to visit from Florida, there was an International Hat Museum, she absolutely said YES!!! Not knowing anything about hat history myself (I only wear baseball caps), I called the museum director Lu Ann and made reservations for the tour. We arrived at the tour time during a Friday late morning and as it was, we had a private tour with the museum director. She is knowledgeable, all encompassing, obsessed, and passionate with hats. We spent 1 1/2 hours on a hat tour that even I became intrigued with since some of the hats related to men and their history with hats. There is a massive amount of hats and history in this two story old home that is now the museum. It was a fascinating tour through a few hundred of years of hats.Written 25 September 2019This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
- deborahtragaszJefferson City, MO458 contributionsI came as a movie junkie intent on seeing all the costumes and props from iconic films. I'm a lifelong Wizard of Oz fan so seeing Professor Marvel's pants was a very big deal for me. Other highlights included Anne Miller's tap shoes, Julie Andrew's dress from The Sound of Music, a knife from Psycho, a suite from Sunset Boulevard, and a chair from Titanic.
I was also impressed by their selection of films. And alcoholWritten 1 October 2022This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Eric D1 contributionThis is a really cool museum. It had a lot of history in it and you learn a lot of things you don't learn in a standard history museum.
The customer service is also great. They go above and beyond to help customers with any need.Written 22 January 2024This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. - Liz UArkansas91 contributionsIt was hard to tell from reviews, but this place is definitely a store. They have a single wall near the entrance that's a really well done timeline of vacuums over the years, and it's free to look at. I was oddly really into this as it was so neatly done and visually appealing. Nobody working there disturbed me as I viewed the "museum", but other people were definitely there to shop. Good to note: there's free parking!Written 15 August 2018This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
