Information
Landmark: Columbia Gorge Discovery CenterCity: Hood River
Country: USA Oregon
Continent: North America
Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, Hood River, USA Oregon, North America
Overview
Perched on the eastern edge of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in The Dalles, Oregon, the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum offers a first-class look at the region’s cultural and natural history, from ancient fossils to pioneer wagon ruts.It’s a doorway into the Columbia River Gorge’s story-its layered cliffs, wild habitats, deep history, and the people who’ve lived here-offering hands-on exhibits inside and guided walks under the open sky.The museum opened in 1997, created to showcase the Columbia River Gorge’s striking cliffs, sweeping river views, and rich history.Our mission is to protect, bring to life, and share the rich natural and cultural history of the Columbia Gorge, with a focus on teaching people of every age-whether it’s a child spotting an eagle overhead or an elder recalling stories from long ago.It serves as the official interpretive center for the eastern Columbia River Gorge, adding depth to the stories told at nearby federal, state, and local heritage sites-like the weathered stone schoolhouse just down the road.Natural History exhibits showcase the Gorge’s story through its geology-towering basalt cliffs, traces of ancient volcanic eruptions, the mighty Missoula Floods, and striking rock formations shaped over millennia.They capture the Gorge’s shifting climates through vivid portrayals of its plants, wildlife, and entire ecosystems-like bright moss clinging to damp basalt-showcasing its rich biodiversity.Explore the cultural history of the Columbia Plateau’s Indigenous peoples-especially the Wasco and Wishram tribes-their traditions, handmade tools, and the ways they lived, from fishing along swift rivers to gathering roots in the dry summer wind.Displays explore early European-American settlement, bustling frontier trade, and the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s lasting mark-maps yellowed with age tell part of the story.Step back into the days when steamboats chugged upriver, railroads cut through the hills, and trade bustled along the Columbia, leaving behind tools, tickets, and weathered ledgers.Colorful displays showcase fishing nets, logging tools, and other work that’s long been at the heart of life in the Gorge’s communities.Special Exhibits: The museum rotates displays that dive into regional art, striking photography, or themes rooted in the Columbia River Gorge-like mist curling over its cliffs at dawn.Observation Tower: Climb to the top for sweeping views of the Columbia River, the sheer cliffs, and the winding gorge below.The trail winds along short footpaths that lead you to panels telling the story of local geology, wildlife, and native plants, with a sun-warmed boulder marking the first stop.Watch for flashes of bright plumage, the quick ripple of a river otter slipping into the water, and plenty of other local wildlife in their natural surroundings.Family-friendly and lively, the visitor experience includes interactive exhibits, hands-on geology displays where kids can touch real rock samples, and playful discovery zones that keep young explorers engaged.With plenty of detailed signs and hands-on programs, it’s a place where school groups and curious adults can dig into the history-right down to the faded ink on an old map.Join a docent for a guided tour, sit in on a lively lecture, or roll up your sleeves in a hands-on workshop-all designed to bring the region’s natural and cultural history into sharper focus.Photography and sightseeing go hand in hand here-the tower rises high above the trees, and its sweeping views make for unforgettable shots.Spring and summer are perfect for getting outside-gardens burst with color, and trails wind through fresh, green leaves.In fall, the Gorge bursts with gold and crimson, making the outdoor exhibits more inviting and the view from the overlook unforgettable.In winter, things grow quieter.Most visitors explore the warm indoor exhibits, while outside the wind and snow turn the gorge into a dramatic, shifting scene.Just a short walk away, Historic Downtown The Dalles offers charming brick storefronts, local shops, art-filled galleries, and beautifully preserved architecture.Fort Dalles Museum showcases military history and artifacts from the area’s early settlers, from weathered rifles to a hand-carved pioneer trunk.The Columbia River Highway Scenic Area offers waterfalls you can hear before you see, sweeping viewpoints, and winding hiking trails.At the west end of the Gorge, the Bonneville Lock and Dam tells a story of roaring turbines and steady river traffic, blending hydroelectric power with navigation history.The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum serves as a welcoming gateway to the Columbia River Gorge, weaving together the region’s geology, ecology, history, and Indigenous heritage into an experience that feels as vivid as standing on a windy cliff above the river.With its mix of indoor exhibits, winding outdoor trails, and sweeping viewpoints where the air smells like pine, it offers visitors of all ages a place that’s both rich in knowledge and stunning to see.
