Oregon Historical Society

Programs: Exhibits - the society collects, preserves, documents, and exhibits the state's material culture with more than 85,000 artifacts. Its major permanent exhibition, oregon my oregon, has won two national awards, an award of merit from the american association for state and local history, and a muse award from the american association of museums media and technology committee. In 2012, a new american association of state and local history award winning permanent exhibition, oregon voices, was completed, combining the technology of today with stories from the past. This interactive exhibit gives visitors a chance to explore the issues and events that shaped oregon from 1950 forward. Continued on schedule o. The society mounts eight to ten traveling and temporary exhibitions on varied themes each year. The on-site exhibits are shown in its seven galleries. The society also loans objects to more than 30 historical institutions on a yearly basis. In 2017, 84,674 visitors came to the oregon historical society to view its exhibits and participate in various programs.

research services - the oregon historical society davies family research library is one of the largest historical libraries in the country and maintains an unparalleled collection relating to the history of oregon and the pacific northwest. Its holdings include thousands of books, government documents, and serials; maps; manuscript collections; oral history interviews and other sound recordings; as well as millions of photographs; millions of feet of archival film footage; and a growing collection of digitized and born-digital images, documents, sound, and video. Continued on schedule o. These collections broaden and enrich the understanding and interpretation of the cultural, political, religious, social, economic, scientific, and technological life in oregon. In 2017, the research library staff received 2,674 in-person research visits, provided orientations for 435 students from secondary and college classes, and fielded 2,173 remote reference inquiries via mail, phone, and e-mail from all over the world. The reading room is open 32 hours per week. The research library online catalog is the primary point of discovery for researchers seeking to use its holdings. Archival collections are also described in more detail in archiveswest, an online consortial resource for academic and research libraries in the pacific northwest and some mountain states. A new website for accessing digital collections is under development. A robust suite of digital history websites, including the oregon history project, the oregon encyclopedia, and the oregon wayfinder, provide primary sources and authoritative content that support education and research, with broad appeal to a general audience. The research library provides research support to all society programs and departments and collaborates widely with community partners from around the state. The society publishes the oregon historical quarterly, which has been a benefit of membership since 1900. The quarterly is a peer-reviewed, public history journal that brings documented history about oregon and the pacific northwest to both scholars and the general audience. The quarterly is supported by an advisory committee comprised of scholars, public historians, and educators from throughout the state.

education - the education department at oregon historical society provides tours, traveling trunks, curriculum, and exhibit interactives for visitors of all ages with a focus on grades k-20. Ohs offers 11 traveling trunks on urban, rural, and multicultural topics, each filled with objects and images for hands-on and experiential learning, traveling throughout the state of oregon to grades k-20 classrooms and a range of organizations, including senior home facilities. The trunks and exhibits are accompanied by curriculum for classroom teachers and students. Continued on schedule o. The education department also manages the oregon history day program which is a part of the renowned, award-winning national history day program. Approximately two dozen teachers and about a 1,000 students from all regions of the state participate in oregon history day by conducting historical research and creating an exhibit, website, documentary, performance or paper. In 2017 approximately 200 students presented their history day project to teams of three judges, representing local teachers, archivists, librarians, historians, and museum professionals. Approximately 50 students will get to represent the state of oregon by participating in the national contest, which is held every june near washington dc. The education developed its first permanent exhibit for youth, called the history hub, which opened november 1, 2016. The history hub was a 1. 5-year project and involved a 24-member advisory committee and three partner institutions: portland public schools indian education program, southern oregon historical society, and oregon black pioneers. History hub summative evaluations prove that the exhibit is highly interactive and engaging, as well as culturally and socially relevant for its youth audience, especially students in grades 4-8 and their teachers and families. The education program served 9,010 students in 2017, which includes 403 college tours and 12 adults in docent-led tours. The traveling trunk program also served 4,934 students throughout oregon.