Oregon Historical Society

Founded on December 17, 1898, the Oregon Historical Society is a private museum, archival library, and educational institution based in downtown Portland. It was created to collect, preserve, exhibit, and publish materials connected to Oregon and the broader history of the United States.

Over the years, it has grown into one of the state’s major history organizations, caring for large collections of artifacts, photographs, maps, manuscripts, books, films, and oral histories. Through exhibitions, a research library, digital collections, educational programs, and its scholarly journal, it works to keep Oregon’s history open and useful to the public.

The society describes its mission as preserving Oregon’s history and making it accessible in ways that advance knowledge and inspire curiosity about the people, places, and events that have shaped the state. Rather than focusing on a single authorial voice, it serves as a gathering place for many stories across Oregon’s past.