Protecting Our State's Cultural Legacy

History shapes people’s understanding of who they are as individuals and as members of a civilization. The Oregon Historical Society is a scholarly asset and a public resource dedicated to putting the power of history into everyone’s hands and to advancing knowledge in all corners of the world.

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The Yasui Family: An American Story

While the Yasui family endured racism and incarceration, they also shared a commitment to equal justice through engagement with the local, state, and national forces that determined — and withheld — their civil rights. Through photographs,...

June 13, 2025 – September 6, 2026

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She Flies with Her Own Wings: Oregon’s Golden Age of Aviation

Known as Oregon’s “golden age of aviation,” the 1930s ushered in faster and more affordable aircraft, offering new career opportunities for men and women. In “She Flies with Her Own Wings,” discover how the wonder of flight sparked...

March 7, 2025 – January 4, 2026

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A Changing Landscape

One hundred years after an expedition to map what would become the Oregon Skyline Trail between Crater Lake and the Columbia River Highway, geologist Jim O’Connor recreated 75 of the expedition’s original photographs. The new and historic...

February 21 – November 23, 2025

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Street Roots: Providing Income Opportunities and Independent Journalism as Portland’s Street Paper Since 1999

Street Roots is a nonprofit news organization in Portland, Oregon, that publishes a weekly, award-winning social justice newspaper sold by people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Since its founding, Street Roots has supported people...

August 22 – November 23, 2025

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“We Were All Living a Dream”: Reflections on Twentieth-Century Lesbian Feminism through the Photography of Donna Pollach

Artist and photographer Donna Pollach found community among the feminist and lesbian women of Portland during the early 1970s. She captured intimate moments as they worked together to redefine conventional ideas of womanhood, family,...

April 4, 2025 – March 29, 2026

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Boys and Girls Aid: Celebrating 140 Years of Creating Loving Families and Lifelong Stability for Oregon’s Youth

Historian and author Dr. David Peterson del Mar and a panel of experts will journey back to the early...


McMenamins Kennedy School

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Free Admission for Portland Staycation and Sunday Parkways

Visit the Oregon Historical Society for free Saturday, September 13 and Sunday, September 14 in...


Oregon Historical Society

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Behind the Wok: Preserving the Legacy of Chinese American Restaurants in Portland’s Jade District

Join Suenn Ho for an evening of reflection on the legacy of Chinese American restaurants in Portland’s...


Oregon Historical Society

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The Front Runner: The Life of Steve Prefontaine

Fifty years after his death, Steve Prefontaine remains one of the most iconic athletes in Oregon history....


Oregon Historical Society

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“All of Us”: A Symposium on Immigration and Civil Rights

The “All of Us” public symposium, part of the Yasui Program Series, offers historical and legal context...


First Congregational Church

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Oregon Historical Quarterly covers

Oregon Historical Quarterly

The Journal of Record for Oregon History

The Oregon Historical Quarterly publishes well-researched, well-written history about Oregon and the Pacific Northwest and is enjoyed by scholars and general readers.

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Library

Research and Library

The Oregon Historical Society’s research library is an invaluable resource for learning about the past and providing context on the present. Visitors can enjoy broad access to the world’s largest collection of Oregon-related materials, both in the library’s newly renovated...

Digital History

Digital History Projects

The Oregon Historical Society’s Digital History Projects provide authoritative and comprehensive resources on Oregon’s history and culture. Visit OHS’s four digital history websites to browse encyclopedia entries, interactive maps and timelines, and materials from OHS’s...

From the OHS Blog

Lights, Camera, Community: An Introduction to OHS School Tours

Go behind the scenes of a short bilingual English-Spanish film that introduces students to the Oregon...

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Tickets on sale now

Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin is a world-renowned presidential historian, public speaker, and bestselling author....


Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

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