TRANSFORMING OUR CAMPUS
Columbia River Maritime Museum’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan laid out a vision of becoming a world-class museum; planning began shortly afterwards. From 2024 to 2026, CRMM will undertake multiple coordinated projects that collectively create a more expansive, interactive, and accessible experience for our visitors, both indoors and outdoors.
PHASE I: March - mid June 2024
- Reconstruction of two existing north side galleries
- Work on the gallery for Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
PHASE II: mid June - August 2024
- Reconstruction of two existing south side galleries
- Continued work on the gallery for Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
- Work on the gallery for Chinook Indian Nation exhibit
PHASE III: September - October 2024
- Opening of Chinook Indian Nation exhibit
- Opening of Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
- Reopening of all reconstructed galleries in existing building
- Ground breaking on the Mariners Hall building
PHASE IV - Late Summer 2026
- Grand Opening of Mariners Hall
This once in a generation project will not only remodel over 11,000 square feet of our existing galleries for new and updated exhibits, but also includes a brand new education and exhibition hall, “Mariners Hall” that will house many dramatic, new exhibits in over 17,500 square feet of dedicated gallery space, in addition to a purpose-built classroom, experiential theater, retail space and other features in the nearly 25,000 square foot new hall. We will also add landscaping throughout the campus, and reconfigure our parking, while preserving our lengthy expanses of open riverfront for viewing and walking.
PHASE I: March - mid June 2024
- Reconstruction of two existing north side galleries
- Work on the gallery for Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
PHASE II: mid June - August 2024
- Reconstruction of two existing south side galleries
- Continued work on the gallery for Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
- Work on the gallery for Chinook Indian Nation exhibit
PHASE III: September - October 2024
- Opening of Chinook Indian Nation exhibit
- Opening of Cedar & Sea: The Maritime Culture of Indigenous Coastal People of the Pacific Northwest exhibit
- Reopening of all reconstructed galleries in existing building
- Ground breaking on the Mariners Hall building
PHASE IV - Late Summer 2026
- Grand Opening of Mariners Hall
This once in a generation project will not only remodel over 11,000 square feet of our existing galleries for new and updated exhibits, but also includes a brand new education and exhibition hall, “Mariners Hall” that will house many dramatic, new exhibits in over 17,500 square feet of dedicated gallery space, in addition to a purpose-built classroom, experiential theater, retail space and other features in the nearly 25,000 square foot new hall. We will also add landscaping throughout the campus, and reconfigure our parking, while preserving our lengthy expanses of open riverfront for viewing and walking.
Join us on this journey as we transform our campus from parking lot and a few distant buildings into a collective of experiences that will change how people visit and explore the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
We are redefining the Museum experience.
We are redefining the Museum experience.
It's about the human experience, the mariner, hence Mariners Hall, to show we are focused on the people that built these boats and other craft, operated them and maintained them, and how it impacted our community.
Bruce Jones, CRMM Executive Director
Bruce Jones, CRMM Executive Director
A HISTORY OF INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT
Furthering a vision that traces to our founder, Rolf Klep, Mariners Hall continues a transformation that began with the 2002 expansion of the 1982-built main museum, the 2013 restoration of the historic Astoria train depot into the Barbey Maritime Center, and the creation of the Warnock Commons and Model Boat Pond in 2020, among other improvements. Columbia River Maritime Museum is proud to have been a leader in Astoria’s renaissance, and to provide a world class educational and cultural experience serving Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington and beyond.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
We are proud to be able to continue to honor the City of Astoria’s Riverfront Vision Plan by preserving our lengthy expanses of open riverfront for viewing and walking for the public, as well as our guests, and we are improving these experiences with an extensive new landscaping plan. With Mariners Hall’s new, state of the art, dedicated classroom, we will be able to offer even more educational programs for our local and regional school districts. And our transformed campus will provide even more opportunities for hosting community events and gatherings.
CHINOOK INDIAN NATIONAL COLLABORATION
In 2024, CRMM embarked on a collaboration with the Chinook Indian Nation to create a new, permanent exhibit in our existing exhibition hall, relating the living culture and stories of those who maintained a thriving maritime culture here for thousands of years before the arrival of the first people of European descent. We are also developing ideas for a Chinook presence in the new Mariners Hall building. We are excited for this opportunity to work with our Chinook neighbors on these vitally important exhibits.
OUTDOOR PLAZA & COLUMBIA RIVER OVERLOOK
A new plaza at the Mariners Hall entrance will provide a beautiful resting place and entrance to the new hall. A protected, landscaped area at the east end of Mariners Hall adjacent to the classroom will provide an area for rest and outdoor activity during suitable weather for the thousands of school children who visit CRMM annually on formal programs.
NEW EXHIBITS
New gallery space provides long awaited opportunities for never before told stories using some of the dozens of boats and thousands of artifacts held unseen in our collections storage warehouses. From the salmon tender Duke, built in 1902 at Astoria’s Wilson Brothers Shipyard, to the classic wooden yacht Merrimac, built in 1938 at Astoria Marine Construction Company, a variety of recreational craft, a WWII lifeboat built at Portland’s Gunderson Marine, a Coast Guard search and rescue helicopter, and a 60 foot long, George Pocock racing shell, Mariners Hall will be filled with fascinating objects and the stories of the mariners who sailed them.
INTERACTIVE STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) SPACE
Maritime displays offer endless opportunities to explain STEAM concepts and demonstrate real world applications. With a goal of engaging young and old alike in STEAM, 2,400 square feet of Mariners Hall are dedicated to interactive STEAM exhibits. These exhibits can both inspire young people to the many rewarding careers available in maritime industries, and fascinate all our guests with the beauty, complexity and functionality of shipboard systems and design.