While on a trip to Portland, OR, I came across Paxton Gate. This shop was very interesting. It had tons of wonderful items for those who are into the metaphysical, taxidermy or just interestingly unique items. The woman working the checkout counter was very warm and friendly. It is a must-go-to store when visiting Portland. read more

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I've never seen such an extensive collection of beautiful & rare oddities - It brought me to excited tears! Plants, crystals, bones, teeth, taxidermy, bugs, books, jewelry, apparel, prints, DIY kits, feathers, & more. Some of my favorite pieces were: - The peacock taxidermy - The giraffe taxidermy - The deer jawbone (she came home with me) - The black scorpion preserved in resin (she also came home with me) - The stag beetle preserved in resin (... she came home with me too) - The rat snake preserved in liquid (she will come home with me someday) - The badger skull - The scorpion earrings by Theeth - The "Crap Taxidermy" book The staff was incredible helpful, too. They were eager to tell me more about pieces, show me things in cases, & even wrap my purchases beautifully. Some of the pieces in Paxton Gate were incredibly expensive, but still, they were priced properly. The giraffe taxidermy was $7,500. That makes sense. Some of the other items, however, I couldn't believe at how low the prices were. The deer jaw bone was $14, the black scorpion was $25, & the stag beetle was $18. What a deal! I highly recommend stopping in to this shop if you have a penchant for the macabre, like me. Fun fact: I found all four animals tattooed on me (rat snake, stag beetle, honeybee, badger) in this store. read more

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Paxton's Gate is a staple for Portland weird. They take it to a unique classy level. It has initimidated some family and friends with the taxidermy. They do not kill animals and acquire the taxidermy or the animals died of natural causes. Taxidermy is just part of the amazing store. Find stones, crystals, rocks, plants, gifts, you name it. Truly unique offerings. They also display local artists in jewelry and wall art. Check this store out to help build your eclectic collection. They are also dog friendly, wow didn't know this store could get any cooler, but you did it! Prices are reasonable and staff is very welcoming and friendly. This location is part of my Portland dog friendly collection. Follow here for more suggestions. https://www.yelp.com/collection/-qX6l2H98FTB7Q7kH75mtw?utm_content=Collections&utm_source=ishare read more

One of the most unique and interesting shops. I love seeing all of the different types of art and oddities. Such a fun place to take friends and adventure around. read more

What an extraordinary place. I could have stayed there for hours. There's so many things that capture the imagination. I purchased Willa bee horns nested among the back walls. I read more

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Every time I go to this place I promise myself I'm just there to look and not buy anything, but it's always a lie! Took my daughter for the first time and found some really cool rocks and a PORCUPINE QUILL and a key chain with a real spider in sider!! I have the only middle schooler with taxidermy souvenirs and I wear this badge with honor! read more

When my niece casually and briefly described this place, I didn't think much of it. However, when we walked by it, we were intrigued and decided to pop in. Everything is super interesting! It's all taxidermy items (plus other little knick knacks) without the weird, creepy feeling. It was so much fun wandering around the store. We spent a really long time at the back of the store looking at and learning all about the different fossils they have. We ended up getting a cool looking ammonite (150 million years old!), a butterfly, and super cool steampunk-looking compass. read more

Really wanted to buy a beautiful blue butterfly out of their shadow box case but unfortunately the two employees sitting behind the counter couldn't stop yapping to say hello or offer me help at any point..just shit talking their co-workers for a solid 8 minutes. How many times do I need to glance over at the counter to be like ...uh? Do you not see me? You want me to open this myself? Likely not. It would be one thing for me to be like hey would you mind helping me if you have a moment? but when a customer has to be like sorry I have to interrupt your little chat happening here, that's an issue. two stars because I do like this store in general. Just had an irritating experience this morning. read more

This is a really fun oddity shop. It's fully of gifts that are all a bit unique to quite unique. Even keychains and cards have a tinge of weirdness to them. They have pinned butterflies, crystals and stones, cool prints, tarot decks, dinosaur fossils, weird and gross things in jars, etc. I think it would be impossible to come in and not be intrigued. The service was really friendly and helpful. They gift wrapped items from me and it seemed above and beyond. Highly recommend! read more

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Loved the vibe here. Employees were super nice and offered to take stuff out of the locked displays to look at closer.

Very cool place. Lots of things you would never expect to find and tons of things you maybe never want to see again lol. I found the most amazing gifts for my mom who's a total hippie and a nice collections of rocks for myself. Soaps are very neat. The books are overpriced but a lot of the stuff in here is. Bring your wallet stacked lol you'll need it. A lovely piece of jewelry I was eyeballing was over $400. Not worth the price but it was amazingly beautiful and handmade so..you do the math on that. I didn't buy it but I guess if I wanted it bad enough and had that extra $ then it would be worth it. My fiancé drug me in here ordering me to buy something when he was the one who was suppose to buy some shrunken head or weird one of a kind something. We left with my wallet being about $100 lighter and he had nothing in his hands lol go figure. Stop in this place when you're in town, but cross check anything that's expensive with amazon lol. A book they had for hundreds was priced at about $60 online. Don't impulse buy here but do buy something cool here. Staff was amazing and the gift wrapping was second to none. 5 stars for sure. read more

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I adore this shop so much - it really is the true Portland I love. My vegan friend was challenged in being inside due to all the animal parts - I can see that BUT they actually acquire things from estate sales...items which might otherwise be thrown out. Many people love their bones and jewelry which features these type of things. I am in there to view life as their mini nursery section is fantastic. I also love the rocks and jewelry. Really, they do have something for everyone. The people working here are amazing and WANT to help you - even just show you things or tell you about things throughout the store. The passion is amazing and inspiring. Come here when you have time to spare just to look around and have an interesting conversation about whatever catches your eye. read more

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Paxton Gate is always a fun place to bop around in. Lots of animal bones, unique books, beautiful rocks, artisan jewelry and plants. Definitely worth a stop! read more

Paxton Gate is a super cool place. Would I go out of my way to go stop by...? Honestly, probably not, but it's a must if you're in the neighborhood or grabbing food across the street at the food truck pod or a beer at Prost! This store might not be for the weak stomached, because it's got oddities all throughout. Lots of taxidermied items, and lots of preserved items like dead puppies, dead kittens, and more. I personally don't mind that stuff and think it's really cool to look at. And, yes... All of this weird shit is for purchase! They've got so much other cool stuff here. No way to list it all. Gems, rocks, plants, science kits, books, posters... I could literally go on all day. What's cool about this place is all the stuff here seems genuine and the store doesn't seem kitschy. Seems legit, and the people who work here are really into the stuff they sell. I've stopped by on my last two trips to Portland. I highly suggest you do the same if you're nearby! read more

I loved the atmosphere in this store. A truly unique shop with tons of artwork and taxidermy pieces. The staff was so friendly and willing to answer any questions about the pieces in the store! These are definitely high end pieces but even if you're just browsing - you have some eye candy to look at!! read more

Paxton Gate - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I loveeee Paxton Gate for all things odd and unusual. Taxidermy is something I recently became interested in, and have loved learning more about how it's done and how much work goes into it. Paxton Gate has such a wide and amazing collection of bugs, reptiles, animals, and more, with books, crystals, posters etc lining the bookshelves and walls. It's a great place to find gifts and small little things for others or for your own collection, and everyone working there is SO friendly and accompanying. Wonderful experience every time! read more

Amazing place. Fascinating. If I had a pet or loved one I'd taxidermy him/her. Thank you for providing so many great scientific specimens. read more

Came in today with my partner and friend to show them around paxton gate since I loved this oddities shop and have visited many times before. It was very busy in the store today and thought it'd be nice to browse, but my partner began to feel very uncomfortable from the constant stares and following around from the employees and that made the experience very unpleasant. It became very obvious we were being profiled. We are both brown people of color, and being profiled is something we deal with unfortunately in a city where we are the minority. Didn't expect that from this establishment. I won't be bringing my friends or family here again. read more

this is definitely one of the most unique shops in Portland and a must-see. I just discovered it over the weekend and enjoyed browsing everything in the store. my favorite were the taxidermy mice that were dressed up and the framed knit animal dissections. I plan on owning something from this store soon read more

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Super fun store to walk around with out of towners. Tons of unique oddities from bones, taxidermy, crystals, gadgets. Worth a visit.

I think this should be one of the most recommended places to visit while in Portland. Such a fun collection! It's just charming, and slightly magical. My husband got me tiger eye balls (well, not actual eyeballs but looks damn close to them) there as gifts when he visited Portland before we decided to move here. Cool gifts. read more

This store is super cool! If you're into taxidermy you will love it! I came in because I wanted to see all the beautiful butterflies they had and I fell in love with it all!!! They also have so many different stones and crystals. They have a variety of jewelry made by local artists. I also loved the plants they had available. Such a cute little spot with so much stuff to see! read more

Paxton Gate - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This is an amazing store for anyone into science, nature, oddities, etc. The staff is super knowledgeable and seems to really enjoy their work. The store is also set up well so that a generally well-behaved can look around without too much risk of breaking something. But beware...there is some weird stuff (think human skeleton and stuffed exotic animals) so if that sort of thing bothers you, it might not be the store for you. We got a few gifts to take home and would recommend everyone come see this store. read more

This place is wonderful. It's the perfect little oddities shop that has just enough for everyone. I love the fact that they have not only real animal items, but also stuffed and knitted animal items. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=oLWhb2GHCvn2q9xeE3CGdw#oLWhb2GHCvn2q9xeE3CGdw It's perfect for the squeamish. This is not safe for the squeamish: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=Pupeh4tXGUuIXembHYiHtA#Pupeh4tXGUuIXembHYiHtA I was helped by Susan in choosing a beautiful rabbit skull. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=VuhTqcJx1WLd9qBf6nzqTw#VuhTqcJx1WLd9qBf6nzqTw She didn't rush me, and even helped me get a dome display for it. I oogled this rabbit skeleton, but it was out of my price range. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=3HGTs47Cpsg5DMx8SecwhA#3HGTs47Cpsg5DMx8SecwhA I love that things are reasonably priced here (compared to LA). I will be returning here whenever I get the chance to! Fun fact: An episode of Portlandia was filmed here. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=EtHceKIoKzCIUDJxvHFyXQ#EtHceKIoKzCIUDJxvHFyXQ It's the "Knot Shop." http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/paxton-gate-portland?select=EtHceKIoKzCIUDJxvHFyXQ#vprpRjchYcWh4qTuneWunw read more

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Unique! I didn't get anything but just walking around and looking gave me lots of inspiration

Pretty rad, Paxton Gate. Pretty rad indeed. Most people will tell you this is the place with all the taxidermy. They'd be right, but that's selling Patxon Gate short. This weird and amazing little store is the perfect spot for most anything natural science, from home decor to gifts for people of all ages. This place is especially good for kids. I can only imagine how much children would like exploring the store, and you'll definitely be able to find them some sort of present. Books and little science experiments immediately come to mind, but I bet there's even more. Lots of home decor stuff, including a respectable plants section. Lots of rocks and gems, and of course the aforementioned taxidermy. If you want to put a dang butterfly on your wall, this is the place to get it. Paxton Gate is just a cool store, and one that should be on your radar. read more

Didn't find anything I wanted to buy when visiting, but we had such a good time looking around the store. It's set up in ways that are visually appealing, with sections for things like crystals, stones, books, and plants. The prices are average for this type of store, and the only super pricey items are the oddities on display in glass cases. I can't say whether they're above average cost or not, since I'm not savvy with the prices of specimens or taxidermy. If you want to buy some, however, expect to invest if buying from PG. They all look of high quality, however, and we really enjoyed looking at them scattered around the store. They have tons of insects, mammals, and even a two-headed calf taxidermy. I particularly loved their selection of journals and plants. Some of their plants are very fairly priced, and if we didn't have a plane ride home, I would've bought one. There's really something for everyone here. You are bound to find some treasures when you visit! read more

This store is amazing! A lot of dead stuff lol. The specimens are all unusual and may make some people gag. They have a good selection of succulents and crystals. It was a truly unique place. Check it out! read more

Paxton Gate - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The store is small, but it is jam-packed with wonders from all over the world: from stuffed animal heads, stuffed animals, pickled animals (as I said to my husband, it reminded me of my college Anatomy and Physiology class), rock & minerals, carnivorous plants, and the reason why I was there, to view Danny Quirk's artwork. I look forward to going back, especially to see if they have any books I don't have. read more

Paxton Gate - Danny Quirk's artwork and the reason I went to Paxton Gate! - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

This a really cool and unique science themed store. They have tons of stuffed and pickled critters for you to up your creep collection back at home. Don't worry, local pet shops donate the deceased critters for these purposes. In addition to the museum of skulls, and beheaded mice and stuffed fox pups, they also have a decent selection of plants and semi-precious stones. I know we didn't spend enough time to really grab the essence of this place in its entirety but it was a really rad pit stop to make after lunch. Looking forward to coming back and exploring this shop's wares further in the near future. read more

Very very cool shop with an eclectic collection. Taxidermy, skeletons, big specimens, and all kinds of stuff to keep you interested. I didn't buy much but I thought it was really interesting. Will definitely come back. read more

Lots of fun curiosities and nick nacks. It's definitely worth a visit. But I didn't really get a straight answer when I asked where all the animals came from/ were sourced so... that's a concern read more

"That's the great thing about taxidermy... It goes with everything." I'm no Amanda Seyfried (who apparently loves real stuffed animals), but I can totally appreciate the interesting little Paxton Gate store on trendy Mississippi Ave. If Portland's goal is to keep weird, then Paxton Gate is keeping up their end of the mission with a menagerie of unique home decor collectibles including insects, rocks, skeletons, and real animals stuffed 'n ready to go home with you for ever and ever and ever and ever. The other thing you'll find at Paxton Gate is super patient and friendly service. They seem to get that half the people in the store are just curious cats that aren't actually going to purchase anything while the other half probably can't afford the stuff. Whichever category you shop in at Paxton Gate, you'll be treated with respect and provided detailed information as if you were really going to buy something. That alone makes me want to go back and buy something else. Thanks Paxton Gate for the respectful service and helping us live up to the motto of Portland. read more

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This is a very interesting shop! Crystals, plants, animals, and bugs! We were there for the bugs. The staff are friendly and knowledgable. I recommend stopping by! read more

This place is the raddest. On my first trip to Portland I went here TWICE. I happened upon it while I was looking for an oyster place in this hood and as soon as I entered I was in love. I may have literally squealed. Strange curiosities are definitely my jam and this place has ALL the strange curiosities for my little black heart. Taxidermy? Check! Books with vintage nudes and the inside of the human body? Check! Posters, cards, bugs, jewelry, Venus flytraps, etc..etc...etc. This place has all the etcs of life and I love it. I spent way too much time transfixed by the skeletal remains of animals. There is stuff(and former living animals) EVERYWHERE you look. I ended up purchasing a beautiful necklace that has ethically sourced butterfly wings, placed under some type of thick glass, to make a lovely wearable piece of nature. I came back here, looking for a gift for a friend, and purchased a necklace by the same jewelry maker that has feathers from a lovebird under the same type of glass, in a different shape. I`m a sucker for items that you cannot find just anywhere.Take all my money. Take it! If you're looking for unique gifts, oddities, and treasures, look no further. Bonus: The staff is VERY friendly and willing to help show you items out of the cases, explain where items come from, etc. read more

Paxton Gate - Oh hello skeletal remains. You are lovely. - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

One of my favorite stores!! Employees are also always very nice. They have a huge variety of different items and they sell lots of things from small business owners! read more

Definitely not your typical store, Paxton Gate, purveyor of treasures and oddities, is probably the only place in town where you can get a massive piece of taxidermy (whole animal or mounted head) like goats, kittens, lions, foxes and warthogs. They also have a case with skulls (small mammals and birds), mounted insects on the wall, rocks, taxidermy supplies, jewelry, rocks and freak/birth defect animals preserved in formaldehyde including the Cyclops cat and the two headed cat. The animals are either vintage pieces or were stillborn. It's interesting that they have a kids section for the aspiring collector of oddities, including mounted teddy bear heads and dissected knit animals. read more

Paxton Gate - Cyclops cat - Home Decor Near Me - Portland, Oregon

I had been to the Paxton Gate in San Francisco, and I thought that was the tops for me, but I think I *may* actually like this one better. It's got all the requisite things: the taxidermy, the preserved creatures in jars, the vivariums, the shells, rocks, and mounted insects, and many other little curiosities. They've got the animal skeletons wearing Victorian and Rococo clothes, and the heads and the antique biology diagrams hanging on the wall. Paxton Gate just feels like it's pulling you back into a romanticized period when people kept a study, with specimens and charts lining the walls. Where one went to relax with a brandy after a dinner of pheasant with guests named such things as Sir Thaddeus Copperbottom and Lady Edith de Bourgh, the Dowager Countess of Clottedcreamfordshire. It broaches Lovecraftian. The San Francisco location prohibits photography, but it's almost encouraged here (though one of the employees here said they SF one may have dropped the no pictures rule). read more

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I don't think I have the words to adequately describe how amazeballs this place is. Taxidermy, trinkets and treasures, curiosities and art pieces, handmade jewelry, Paxton Gate has it all and more. Whether you're looking for a fossilized llama fetus or a mountain lion, an enormous beetle under glass or a Venus flytrap, you'll likely find it here. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, always willing to share some fascinating tidbit of information or help you get a closer look at a curio. I could easily spend hours and thousands of dollars in here. In fact, I wouldn't mind just living in the store itself.. read more

We operate at a sanity-preserving remove from the full cycles of the natural world, especially death, and after death. Paxton embraces it. It is a natural history science museum curio shop, covering animal, mineral and vegetable. In the animal realm, there are skulls, bones, a box of hooves, bio specimens in formaldehyde jars, butterflies, trophy animal heads and assorted taxidermy. One of their sources is someone with a beetle farm for reducing carcases to bones. No idea what kind of permits would be needed from the city for that... In the mineral realm, it is primarily fossils and fossilized shells with a few crystals in one display case. There are air plants, probably the only thing alive in the store, though air plant and alive are practically an oxymoron. There is also a great selection of books, and oddities like intricately relief-carved cow skulls (carved in Portland, by the way). And they have a selection of glass eyes and stainless steel operating instruments taking me back to a previous career which I'm glad to be out of. One of the proprietors remarked how exited he was they had received a new shipment of bones! This is a great spot to go for a weird experience, to take kids interested in science who won't bully you into purchases, for a well curated selection of nature books, to find ultra unique gifts for collector types, or for people in need of objects for witchy, HP Lovecraft-themed, voudou, or neo-new-age shrines. Me, I like visiting; otherwise a little too spooky to have this stuff around home at night! read more