Visited on a Wednesday around 3pm; parking was easy and it was $18 a person. We aren't boat or seaside people by any means, but we still found ourselves learning new things and fascinated by this well done museum. The ticket comes with a tour of an actual boat, which we did first, it's a steep ladder to go down into the boat so I would recommend only to people in better health. You can walk on top of the boat as well if you can't go down inside. The actual museum itself is so well curated and has SO many rooms and exhibits to look at. They have 3D movie options which we didn't do, but the museum itself is beautifully done and worth it if you have time in Astoria. read more

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The Native cultural exhibits were delightfully narrative-forward, giving context to a representative collection of artifacts, fishing, hunting, a fabulous display of the amazing use of the cedar tree. It's truly top notch, and as my old man builds, scripts and funds museums, I've been to more than my share. The variety of exhibits, the excellence of the writing in the narratives (the one on the Coast Guard rescues in the bar is heart wrenching and moving), and the sweep of the architecture make this a truly excellent museum. I didn't have any issue with the staff as some have written about, and I cannot imagine anything they could have done diminishing my enjoyment of this museum. I look forward to visiting the new addition when it is completed. read more

The women at check in and the hostess for the 3D movies have piss poor attitudes and customer service. Not only do they look like they hate their life but they're not polite to any of the guests here. Gorgeous museum but the customer service is on par with the rest of Clatsop county LOL (bummy and full of a bunch of Has-Been/ Wanna Be's.) Tainted my experience from the second I walked in. I recommend hiring younger people that have life still. Get rid of the miserable staff, you'd be doing everyone a favor read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - A ship - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

This was a tour stop. Interesting exhibits. Cute gift shop. Movies, boats and information about early exploration. read more

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Since it was raining all day, my husband and I decided to check out this museum. We spent a wonderful four hours there and enjoyed every minute of it. We spent about three hours looking at the exhibits and touring the lighthouse ship and also purchased the two additional 30 minute movies for five dollars each. I learned so much, and we both found the shipwreck exhibit, especially fascinating. We learned so much about the Astoria area and the Columbia river. I have a newfound respect for the area. This is a gem of a museum! read more

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My husband recently got a year pass for the Five Oaks Washington County Historical Society and they have reciprocal museums that they partner with. For the month of February (2025) it was for the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria - so off we went. The entry fee is $18.00 each and we paid nothing for the two of us - Score! The museum is a lot larger than it appears. The installations are amazing, some very artistic and carefully thought out. There were some amazing replicas and actual boats shown throughout the years. The overall feel is spacious and extremely informative and the staff was so helpful and pleasant. There was a movie option for $5 and a well stocked gift shop. The pass also included a tour through a Coast Guard ship named Columbia. Lots of options and I highly recommend! read more

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Very well done exhibits on a variety of aspects around the Columbia River. History, native culture, Coast guard, river/bar pilots, river/boat art, etc. All extremely interesting. Easily can take a couple hours going through. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Museum entry to all exhibits - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

This is the biggest Museum in Astoria. It is also the dullest. Seems to be all about shipwrecks. If you are from out of state and never comiming back. Maybe visit. Otherwise save yourself from total boredom. The only thing I found interesting was the Columbia light ship moored next door. They are building an event center next door. read more

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Beautiful museum with indoor and outdoor exhibits. Loads of history plus different areas for kids and families. A must see if you're interested in oceanic adventure! read more

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Wonderful place to see local maritime history, boat structures, Native American history and challenges and an overall wealth of information! Gift shop offers fun trinkets, too! read more

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This isn't a "bad" review, it's just the museum was a bit underwhelming to me. The exhibits were large and extremely professional, especially the coast guard rescue boats. The museum offers various exhibits from native lifestyles to Navy connections. Shipwrecks are a big theme and first-time visitors get a very good visual interpretation of ships and shipwrecks. The storytelling was lacking in my opinion and I didn't feel a connection between "exhibits" and "history. I was insulted to be hit up for an extra fee for a movie about aircraft carriers. Nothing said whether aircraft carriers plied the Columbia. Also, there is nothing about river commerce, did anyone notice giant ships sailing up the Columbia? And, hey, I know it's a touchy subject, but Robert Gray named the river after his ship, Columbia Redidiva. A mention of this history might have been interesting. On the plus side, the building the museum is housed in is really cool, those giant curved wood beams in the main display area were awesome. Please check my review of the Heritage Museum a few blocks uptown from the Maritime Museum. read more

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I've long been fascinated by the Columbia River bar - ever since I first heard its nickname "Graveyard of the Pacific". I learned about it from a show on the weather channel many years ago about the harrowing Coast Guard rescues on this most treacherous stretch of water. And this museum truly does it justice!! So much fascinating history and info - and very nicely organized and displayed. It's crazy how many shipwrecks there are along the Columbia River bar. They even have a life-size display of one of those Coast Guard ships doing one of their crazy rescues! You can also explore the Columbia Lightship on the water behind the museum - a floating lighthouse. And they even have an awesome exhibit on the locally famous Peter Iredale shipwreck- complete with pictures of the ruins from over the years, all the way back to the early 1900s! There's a lot to see before you even get inside - there are several displays on the grounds of giant anchors and propellers- and there's an active Coast Guard ship docked out back. Tickets are very reasonably priced, it's easy to find, and there's plenty of parking and clean bathrooms. Lots to explore and I feel like one visit definitely wasn't enough to take it all in. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I'd definitely stop in again for another explore next time I'm around! read more

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Fun spot to spend a couple of hours. We stopped in last Saturday in the afternoon and wandered around a while. There were a decent amount of visitors but it didn't feel crowded. There is so much info...photos, documents, and loads of video...about the history of the area. Really quite interesting, especially when explained and demonstrated so thoroughly. Fascinating to learn why this particular chunk of water is so dangerous and has been so deadly throughout time. You can add a 3D film to your ticket, which we didn't do, and entrance to the lighthouse vessel is included with regular admission. Having been on larger military vessels, we found the ship slightly underwhelming and were only aboard for maybe 10 minutes. I would think that kids and anyone who hasn't been aboard a vessel such as this would find it pretty cool however. Everything was maintained well and staff was friendly. The museum is definitely an informative and interesting place. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Columbia River Maritime Museum - aboard the lighthouse ship - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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Fun museum. Lots of artifacts to read about. Movies to watch. 18 for adults. 5 bucks for a mushroom or shark movie. Fun time. read more

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This is a truly special, spectacular museum and a must see if traveling in the northern Oregon coast. It has so much great stuff to see and read you must allow several hours. If your trip involves more than a day then pick the worst weather day to visit so that you can allow enough time. There are lots of other places to visit in this northwest corner or Oregon including Cape Disappointment across the Columbia in Washington that you might prefer to visit on the better weather days. There are lots of places to stay in Astoria as well as down in Seaside and Cannon Beach. We have not been back since COVID and hope to do so soon. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - One of several ship's bridges displays - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

The Oregon visitors guide and family recommended this museum for our visit to Astoria. It's pretty big and has a lot of info on the maritime history of the northern coast of Oregon. It's definitely worth a stop. read more

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The museum itself was nice and clean. There were children running around being rather loud and screaming during the entire tour, making it difficult to hear the guide and concentrate. Frustrating for all. The tour guide she did a wonderful job. The Columbia ship was rather amazing! $18 per person is a bit overpriced, in my opinion. read more

Me and the husband enjoyed this so much on our trip to Astoria! There was so much to see, the staff were incredibly sweet, it had the cutest little gift shop! Super interesting information. read more

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Very thoughtful and well put together museum. It cost about $16 a person for adults and kids were slightly less. The cost of admission comes with the tour of the Lightship Columbia. To watch some of the 3-D films. It cost an extra five dollars and last about 25 minutes. They have a cute gift shop with a variety of items. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would recommend going to check this museum out. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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We came in on a late Wednesday morning. We enjoyed walking around the exhibits-they had a great variety of subjects to see. Some of those being flags/flag language, international voyages, shipwrecks, local canning history, World War 2, and maps of the world tracking currents, winds, water temperature etc. There is so much amazing world and local history here, and lots to learn. We even got to go on a retired vessel and walk around to see where the sailors used to eat, sleep and work. This was an interesting experience. They also have a lovely gift shop where you can buy treasures that both showcase the museum and Astoria itself. This is a must do for anyone coming to Astoria! read more

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This is a wonderfully curated museum tended by history loving professionals and volunteers. I've been here 4 times now, and learn something new each time. Its big, its alot to take in. I've never paid the extra dollars for the movie experience tho. Graveyard of the Pacific - boy the mouth of the mighty Columbia River has dealt a massive toll on ships and their seafarers. History? This place is LOADED. lewis and Clark. The Astoria Expeditions. Native peoples that thrived here and then suffered from the white man invasion. There is military stuff here too. The bridge of an actual WWII Navy Destroyer! AntiAir guns you can touch. Maps! Navigation! The Coast Guard and stories of the brave men and women who lived/died helping those in need. Admission prices are a little steep. I think if you REALLY wanna get into a membership is the way to go, I wish I'd just done that the first time. The Lightship Columbia is a fascinating way to get a glimpse of the inglorious life at sea. The gift shop is loaded with cool, reasonably priced stuff. And dont forget the Peacock is sitting out there in the parking lot! Highly recommend, I'll be back again. read more

This is a must-see when visiting Astoria. Their collections cover the history of fishing and canning in the area; shipwrecks and the reasons behind them; weather and water conditions; WW2; and local river pilots. It's a lot. There is also a light boat to tour. They offer two 3D movies for an additional $5charge. We saw the one on sea lions, and I recommend it. We spent several hours at the museum, and it was well worth it. The museum store is also nice. All of the staff were great. read more

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Awesome! Just awesome. A must see! The movies are wonderful and it's just so interesting and fun. It's not just about boats, but people and history and ship wrecks. It's a wonderful experience. And what a view. read more

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We visited the museum on October 16th. The back half of the museum was closed for renovations, permeating the area with the overpowering smell of carpet glue, and leaving many of the detailed exhibits covering the history of the Columbia River unavailable. Yet, the admissions attendant didn't inform us of the closures and charged us full price for admission. (A post-visit check of the website mentioned the closure, but checking a website should never be a prerequisite to visiting a museum.) The lightship Columbia was very interesting, but the remaining open exhibits were much less engaging. The Columbia River Maritime Museum appears to be a fine educational experience. However, the staff was not forthcoming about the exhibit closures and we should have been charged only half-price for admission given that the museum was only half open. read more

Entering this museum, a visitor is faced with this statement before entering the galleries: Since 1792 approximately 2,000 vessels -- including over 200 large ships -- have sunk at the Columbia River bar, and more than 700 people have lost their lives to the sea. These dangers have earned this area the title 'Graveyard of the Pacific.' Mariners agree that the combination of high seas, a mighty river, and shallow, shifting sand bars make the Columbia River bar one of the most dangerous bar crossings in the world. That statement is a fitting introduction and it raises visitor expectations. Can this museum connect the dots and explain this all? Yeah, the connecting galleries do a great job illustrating the challenges of this region. The first and main gallery is a display of various boats that plied the waters here over time. It's the remaining galleries that, for me, pack the most impact. There are scale models, artifacts, and snippets of data and science interspersed to add context. Watching a few videos featuring ravaging waves rocking otherwise seemingly indestructible ships was eye-opening. Fortunately, a Coast Guard 44300 self-righting and self-bailing boat is dramatically displayed in the front gallery facing the windows. This unsinkable boat, while looking modern, was retired successfully. It was reassuring to see a boat that was essentially built not to sink. The retired Lightship Columbia sits in the waters behind the museum. Children love romping around inside this cool piece of history. I was lucky to visit the day before the museum closed to the public due to the pandemic. When it reopens, this place should be a must-see for any visit to scenic Astoria. read more

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One of the nicest building in Astoria, Oregon. Riverside train station is infront of museum. Rail track infront of museum and docked ship at the backside looks really cool. Loved this place. Unfortunately it was closed when we reached but we admired beauty from outside and the arts kept inside which was visible from glass were really good. read more

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wow i hate it its the worst its the bestest ever go here if you want to get lobsters bruh i hate it its horrible shut up idiot i am mentally ill stop talking stop talking stop talking please please please please its ok read more

I absolutely LOVED this museum. It is filled with so many interesting exhibits AND the Columbia tour is included! During the visit I watched movies and learned about the power of the river and the history of boating and the local tribes and the maritime industry and so much more. read more

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very interesting museum covering a very interesting area. great historical info about the area. the approaches to the river are so dangerous and difficult to pass that there have been a lot of shipwrecks. at the same time, the transport was critical to the development of the northwest. this museum covers it well. great visit. read more

My family and I stopped here on a whim on the way to the Oregon Coast for a mini vacation. I am so glad we did! The museum is one of the best museums I have been too and I have been to a lot. It was very well laid out, very informative (I had no idea how dangerous the bar crossing was or how Astoria played a part in WW2), clean, and fun. There were a lot of interactive displays for kids AND adults. I was super bummed that the boat was closed at 1. When we got there, we were not told that so when we left the museum to walk out to the boat, we were really disappointed that we didn't get to tour the boat, especially for the price of admission. There were no working water fountains, which was a real bummer as we got thirsty. I get covid but have an alternative available. The gift shop was one of the best gift shops I have been too, the person who is buying for the shop is very talented. Lots of cool things to look at. I found several things I liked (and purhcased) and I usually hate kitschy gift shops with basic crap that ends up in landfills. Overall a great museum and we were glad we went. read more

The maritime museum is a very interesting place. Lots of historic stuff from the World Wars, the USCG, and some interactive things Inside too. They have a little Movie to watch if you're interested but I have a 3 year old so i didn't want to disturb others and I didn't watch it. The only thing I wish they'd have working was the interacting boat they had available to "drive" but maybe it was closed due to COVID but when we went in there the buttons didn't work. But other than that, it sits In front of some USCG cutters which is cool, and there's a small old CG boat as part of the museum right next to the active duty boats. Definitely worth seeing at least once. read more

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This is definitely one of the finest museums I have ever visited in my 76 years. The exhibits cover the maritime history of the Columbia river, the Coast Guard, fishing in the region, and much more. They're all kinds of exhibits, most regarding boats, (the actual boats used), and a lot of interactive exhibits, and shows. There is even an old light ship tied up outback that you can tour. As of yet I've only been there once, but I definitely wish to return to Astoria, in part because of this wonderfully fascinating museum. read more

Amazing museum! I chose to watch the 3-D movie "Aircraft Carrier" it was well done and very interesting! Then touring the museum was fascinating! Could have spent much more time here but it was a beautiful day in Astoria and wanted to enjoy the weather outside. I pan to go back again to spend more time on some of the displays. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Columbia River Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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We went to Astoria to sort of drive through since we were already at Cannon Beach and not too far away. The maritime museum was a place we are so grateful we swung into. We loved seeing the artifacts, the history, and the information unique to this region. The displays were well-maintained and informative and we feel as though the admission was worth the $14 adult admission fee. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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This was an educational and user friendly kind of place. All of the exhibits and hands on displays were great. From Veterans to children, there is something for everyone. The store there was also a great place to find something unique. It's well wort the entrance fee. read more

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The Columbia River Maritime Museum specializes in naval and marine history of the river and the entire region. Founded in 1962, the museum isn't huge, but it is well done ... and boasts the largest collection of Pacific Northwest maritime artifacts. * Open daily 9:30 - 5:00 * Closed Thanksgiving & Christmas * Adults $14; Children $5 * The movie (3D) is $5 extra * Parking is free * Photography is allowed * Plan 2-3 hours to see the exhibits * Be sure to see the lightship Columbia docked outside * Crossing the Bar warns about dangers of the river * Science of Storms was educational about weather * The USS Shark wreck (1846) exhibit is ok * Learning about Astoria's legendary salmon fishing was cool * I needed more time for the Japanese/American war trophies * It's the official state maritime museum of Oregon All-in-all, I think just about any family or tourist will have an educational and merry time at the Columbia River Maritime Museum. read more

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I came here since I was looking for things to do in Astoria. The museum was much larger than I expected. It was one of the nicer maritime museums I've been to. There's a lightship named Columbia right outside the museum that's included in the admission. You get to see the mess hall, galley, communications room, and sleeping quarters. It closes earlier than the museum so you should check it out first. I really enjoyed the weather reporting exhibit where you can pretend to be a weatherman in front of a green screen, the WWII battleship, and the return of the Japanese soldier flags. There were a lot of exhibits on fishing, weather, and maritime history of Astoria. You learn a lot about of Astoria and it was all very interesting. I would recommend this museum if you want to learn more about Astoria. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Columbia light ship - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

Interesting, but not all that special really. The most interesting map was on the wall but no copies were not for sale. I've been there once, won't be going back. read more

This is an interesting museum. Admission price is very reasonable. Not too expensive. As well, expect to spend over an hour here. It is very educational. Lots of history explanation. Good artifacts. Made mostly for adults. But of course its somewhat linked to the famous Astoria bridge Outside they have the Columbia Ship and that is the most interesting part compared to what is inside. read more

Columbia River Maritime Museum - Museums Near Me - Astoria, Oregon

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This is a great museum with lots of hands-on learning experiences for children. You'll learn how the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean and all the danger the sailors have to face especially when weather is not on their side. If you or your child ever wanted to be a weather reporter you'll love giving the weather forecast. We were surprised to learn so much about weather. You can learn about hurricanes here. For an additional price you can watch a 3-D Hurricane movie.  You can also experience the winds in a hurricane wind simulator. You could easily spend half a day here. After visiting this museum you sure will have profound respect for the U.S. Coast Guard. You can spend quite a bit of time here if you'd like. Its also a great way to get away from the rain for a few hours. read more

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