Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Attraction
Address: 1945 SE Water Ave (562.12 mi) Portland, OR
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is a museum in Portland, Oregon, specializing in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and the arts. OMSI is one of the nation's leading science museums, with an international reputation for science education, since its establishment in 1944.
The museum currently has exhibition halls as well as a planetarium and an IMAX-like theater. OMSI's mission is “to provide hands-on learning experiences to inspire lifelong learners.”
History
Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) began during the opening of the City Hall Museum in 1896. However, it was only upon the foundation of the Oregon Museum Foundation in 1944 that the Oregon Museum of History, Science, and Industry was formally established. Soon, a house was donated for the museum, but the growth of its audience led to its expansion.
Following a formal opening by the governor, the museum opened to the public on June 7, 1958. It was built in the southwest corner of what is now Washington Park. Ultimately, the museum moved to its current location in 1986, where a larger building was constructed.
Exhibits
There are many different exhibits at OMSI. Thus, OMSI offers not only children but adults an excellent way to learn about science.
It also contains different halls that include the following:
- The Science Playground is a space where children can explore and play with interactive exhibits that teach about mechanics, bridges, light waves, sound waves, colors, and more.
- In the Hands-On Hall, visitors are encouraged to touch everything to experience science in a hands-on way. There's an area for kids, but there are also areas that adults will love.
- Another is the Turbine Hall, where visitors can explore many different turbines, from wind to solar-powered.
- There's also the Art Studio, which has various art supplies and provides some space for creativity!
- The Planetarium is always awesome because you can explore outer space right in front of you. You will not find another place like that on Earth.
- It also has the Theory Eatery, or simply Theory. This American cuisine restaurant opened as an addition to OMSI on January 30, 2013. The restaurant has 9,100 square feet of eating space and is located near the Willamette River in the Central Eastside Industrial District.
OMSI also offers many different types of classes to help people interactively learn about science. These courses range from topics like geology, astronomy, robotics, and more!
Currently, the museum has a featured exhibit called the ‘Dinosaurs Revealed.' It features real-life-sized dinosaurs and set-ups that allow visitors to walk through different periods and learn more about their journey.
OMSI is a one-stop-shop for anyone looking to learn more about science, technology, engineering, and math. There are literally endless opportunities to explore with plenty of exhibits on display in the museum’s galleries. So if you need your fix of interactive learning experiences with an added dose of fun thrown in for good measure, then we highly recommend that you make plans today to visit this fantastic Portland institution. And don't forget – Sharp Tack Media is a proud supporter of OMSI!
Next on our list is Portland Art Museum.
