 The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry museum complex and its submarine, the U.S.S. Blueback The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI, pronounced "AWM-zee") is a museum located on the East bank of the Willamette River in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood of inner southeast Portland, Oregon. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (849x512, 206 KB)The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, as seen from the west bank of the Willamette River. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (849x512, 206 KB)The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, as seen from the west bank of the Willamette River. ...
The Willamette River (pronounced wil-LAM-met) is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately 240 mi (386 km) long, in northwestern Oregon in the United States. ...
Hosford-Abernethy is a neighborhood in the inner Southeast section of Portland, Oregon. ...
Nickname: City of Roses, Stumptown, Bridgetown, PDX Location in Multnomah County and the state of Oregon Coordinates: Country United States State Oregon County Multnomah County Incorporated February 8, 1851 Mayor Tom Potter Area - City 376. ...
This two-story museum contains hands-on exhibits in topics ranging from natural sciences (i.e. chemistry, geology, physics) to brain teasers, human development and lifestyle issues, technology, and more. Chemistry (from Greek χημεία khemeia[1] meaning alchemy) is the science of matter at the atomic to molecular scale, dealing primarily with collections of atoms, such as molecules, crystals, and metals. ...
World geologic provinces Oceanic crust 0-20 Ma 20-65 Ma >65 Ma Geologic provinces Shield Platform Orogen Basin Large igneous province Extended crust Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason))[1] is the science and study of the solid matter of a celestial body, its composition...
Physics (from the Greek, (phúsis), nature and (phusiké), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space and time. ...
OMSI also operates the largest science museum outreach program in the country, bringing OMSI to schools with auditorium and classroom programs.
OMSI has operated field science camps for over 50 years, and currently offer both summer science camp programs for individuals and outdoor school programs for school groups on the Oregon Coast, in the Cascades and in the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. Oregon coast at Brookings, Oregon. ...
Mount Adams in Washington state The Cascade Range is a mountainous region famous for its chain of tall volcanos called the High Cascades that run north-south along the west coast of North America from British Columbia to the Shasta Cascade area of northern California. ...
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is a 14,000 acre (57 km²) park near Kimberly, Oregon. ...
OMSI is also known for the multitude of students (primarily grades K-12) visiting from all over the region for field trips. A field trip is typically a journey by a group of people performing research on a topic to a place away from their normal environment. ...
About the Museum OMSI is a non-profit organization and receives no financial support from the State of Oregon. Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area Ranked 9th - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²) - Width 260 miles (420 km) - Length 360 miles (580 km) - % water 2. ...
Although it is staffed with full and part time employees, much of the museum is dependent on volunteers. Volunteers perform many of the same duties as staff members such as greeting visitors, customer service, and performing exhibit demonstrations. Volunteers are comprised of high school and college students, as well as community members.
History In 1944, the Oregon Museum Foundation was founded with the mission of establishing an Oregon Museum of History, Science, and Industry. It displayed its first collection of natural history objects at the Portland Hotel. Support for the museum grew over the years and in 1949, a house in Northeast Portland was donated to establish a museum, and OMSI was born. Within a year, Oregon's first public planetarium opened in the building.
By 1955, OMSI's annual attendance had grown to 25,000 and the need for expansion led to volunteers building a new site at Washington Park, completing the original goal of a hands-on museum (This building is now occupied by the Portland Children's Museum). Attendance continued to grow, and by the mid-80s, 600,000 people were visiting the building every year, which was designed to hold only 100,000. In 1992, OMSI opened at its current site, donated by Portland General Electric, which was complete with a 330-seat dome-screen IMAX DOME (Originally Called OMNIMAX Theater (the first in the Northwest) and an expanded 200-seat planetarium. Portland Childrens Museum is located next to the Oregon Zoo, on Canyon Road. ...
Portland General Electric (PGE) is an investor-owned electrical utility that distributes electricity to customers in parts of Portland, Oregon, as well as parts of Multnomah, Clackamas, Marion, Yamhill, Washington, and Polk counties - half of the inhabitants of Oregon. ...
2004 led the way for extensive growth. The Turbine Hall was closed from September through November, for renovative construction. Mainly, the Discovery Space and Technology Lab switched places, and a new "Inventors Ballroom" was added to the Turbine Hall. A small stage area in the Turbine hall was added for public exhibit demonstrations, and a bridge was built, connecting a new metal staircase with the mezzanine exhibits.
Special Attractions
Auditoriums OMSI contains the Harry C. Kendall Planetarium (previously the Murdock Planetarium) where computer-aided astronomy and laser light shows are performed daily.
It is also home to the only OMNIMAX theater in Portland. (There is another IMAX theater under construction near the Spruce Goose exhibit.) Hughes H-4 Hercules The Spruce Goose is the nickname commonly given to the Hughes H-4 Hercules, an aircraft designed and built by the Hughes Aircraft company, owned by Howard Hughes. ...
There is one big auditorium, with a stage, where annual events such as science fairs occur. Some fairs include OHSU's Brain Awareness, Safety Safari, and the Reptile and Amphibian Show. The auditorium can also be reserved for private events.
U.S.S. Blueback The USS Blueback (SS-581) was purchased by OMSI in February 1994. This submarine was towed to its present location in Portland, Oregon, at a pier right outside the museum and opened to the public on May 15, 1994. The second USS Blueback (SS-581) was a Barbel-class submarine in the United States Navy. ...
German UC-1 class World War I submarine A model of Günther Priens Unterseeboot 47 (U-47), German WWII Type VII diesel-electric hunter-killer (SSK) submarine Inside of the Argonaute, showing the typical obstructed, tiny space of a post-WWII diesel attack submarine. ...
May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ...
1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ...
The screw has been removed and is now a National Submarine Memorial, located outside of the main museum area, beside the Eastbank Esplanade.
The submarine is available for daily guided tours and summer camps.
Exhibits OMSI has five main exhibit halls and several enrichment areas within each hall.
Featured Exhibit The Featured Exhibit is a hall used for temporary exhibits manufactured by OMSI, or brought in from museums around the world.
Please see http://www.omsi.edu/visit/ for current information on the Featured Exhibit.
Turbine Hall The Turbine Hall is named for the large steam turbine which dominates the floor. It features exhibits about engineering, physics, chemistry, and space travel. The Physics, Chemistry, and Laser Holography labs are connected to the Turbine Hall. A rotor of a modern steam turbine, used in a power plant A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into useful mechanical work. ...
Engineering is the application of scientific and mathematical principles to develop economical solutions to technical problems, creating products, facilities, and structures that are useful to people. ...
Physics (from the Greek, (phúsis), nature and (phusiké), knowledge of nature) is the science concerned with the discovery and understanding of the fundamental laws which govern matter, energy, space and time. ...
Chemistry (from Greek χημεία khemeia[1] meaning alchemy) is the science of matter at the atomic to molecular scale, dealing primarily with collections of atoms, such as molecules, crystals, and metals. ...
Space exploration is the physical exploration of outer-Earth objects and generally anything that involves the technologies, science, and politics regarding space endeavors. ...
Holography (from the Greek, Όλος-holos whole + γÏαφή-graphe writing) is the science of producing holograms; it is an advanced form of photography that allows an image to be recorded in three dimensions. ...
The Turbine Hall has two floors. Present on the main floor are the large exhibits and enrichment areas. On the mezzanine there are smaller exhibits that emphasize properties of physics.
Innovation Station
Chemistry Laboratory The chemistry laboratory is a hands-on wet chemistry laboratory where visitors can learn about various chemical interactions. Chemistry (from Greek χημεία khemeia[1] meaning alchemy) is the science of matter at the atomic to molecular scale, dealing primarily with collections of atoms, such as molecules, crystals, and metals. ...
Michael Faraday, 19th century physicist and chemist, in his lab. ...
There are six stations that allow visitors to participate in experiments that share a common theme. Themes rotate weekly and include the chemistry of toys, the nature of matter, biochemistry, environmental chemistry, industrial chemistry, chemical reactions, and the "best of OMSI." Other thematic units such as household chemistry, the chemistry of food, everyday chemistry, and the chemistry of art are in development. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes and transformations in living organisms. ...
Chemical reaction demonstrations are given daily and are often related to the weekly theme.
The laboratory is funded in part by member contributions, public and private donations, community agencies, and the National Science Foundation. The logo of the National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. ...
Physics Laboratory The OMSI Physics Laboratory staff oversees the Turbine Hall during daily operations of the museum.
Exhibits include a Van de Graff generator (a static electricity generator), motion detectors, circuits, morse code, magnets, computers that simulate basic properties of physics, and musical instruments. An electrical network is an interconnection of electrical elements such as resistors, inductors, capacitors, and switches. ...
1922 Chart of the Morse Code Letters and Numerals Morse code is a method for transmitting information, using standardized sequences of short and long marks or pulses — commonly known as dots and dashes — for the letters, numerals, punctuation and special characters of a message. ...
Magnetic lines of force of a bar magnet shown by iron filings on paper A magnet is an object that has a magnetic field. ...
Vernier Technology Laboratory This laboratory investigates the impact of technology on society. While visitors can explore on internet-connected computers, rotating interactive exhibits allow for further learning of common technologies. Current themes include topics such as "The Best of OMSI", security technology, biomedical technology, communications technology, and household technology. Health science is the discipline of applied science which deals with human and animal health. ...
The term communications is used in a number of disciplines: Communications, also known as communication studies is the academic discipline which studies communication, generally seen as a mixture between media studies and linguistics. ...
Laser/Holography Laboratory Staff and volunteers of this laboratory present 30 minute demonstrations where a holgram is constructed. Lasers and properties of light are also investigated in this laboratory.
 Bubba, the eleven foot Burmese python Image File history File links OMSIs 11 foot python, in the Life Science Laboratory. ...
Image File history File links OMSIs 11 foot python, in the Life Science Laboratory. ...
Life Sciences Hall The Life Sciences Hall has exhibits about biology, including a collection of preserved fetuses at nearly every stage of development. The adjacent Life Sciences Lab houses a wide variety of live animals. Biology (from Greek βίος λόγος, see below) is the branch of science dealing with the study of living organisms. ...
The Life Science Hall is located on the second floor of the museum.
Life Science Laboratory In the Life Science laboratory you will find many live specimens, such as [1] rats, walking sticks, chameleons, and other mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Image File history File links OMSIs live African Rainbow Land Crab, located in a display in the Life Science Laboratory adjacent to the Life Science Hall. ...
Image File history File links OMSIs live African Rainbow Land Crab, located in a display in the Life Science Laboratory adjacent to the Life Science Hall. ...
Earth Science Hall The Earth Hall features geology-oriented exhibits. Attached to the Earth Hall is the Paleontology Lab and the Watershed Lab. World geologic provinces Oceanic crust 0-20 Ma 20-65 Ma >65 Ma Geologic provinces Shield Platform Orogen Basin Large igneous province Extended crust Geology (from Greek γη- (ge-, the earth) and λογος (logos, word, reason))[1] is the science and study of the solid matter of a celestial body, its composition...
Paleontology or palaeontology (see Spelling differences) is the study of the history and development of life on Earth, including that of ancient plants and animals, based on the fossil record (evidence of their prehistoric existence as typically preserved in sedimentary rocks). ...
A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (yellow outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (blue lines) of a contiguous area. ...
The Earth Science Hall is located on the second floor of the museum.
Watershed Laboratory The Watershed Laboratory allows museum visitors a unique experience in constructing an erosion cycle out of a "river on a table". Visitors can learn about the life cycle of Salmon and even investigate microscopic organisms from local waterways through a videomicroscope . Illustration of a male Coho Salmon The Chinook or King Salmon is the largest salmon in North America and can grow to 1. ...
Paleontology Laboratory This laboratory is one gigantic discovery laboratory. OMSI Staff Members and Volunteers are hard at work in this space uncovering new fossils and remnants of the past in plain view of museum visitors. Dinosaur bones are excavated here.
Science Playground and Discovery Laboratory Formerly labeled the Discovery Space for children ages zero through six, this large room resides next to the Life Science Hall on the second floor of the museum. Exhibits in this room include a tent for reading, a theater, a space for parents and infants, and a gigantic sandbox.
In the Discovery Laboratory children can make flubber, play with play dough, and do other hands-on activities lead by an OMSI staff member.
External links |
Feeds |
Contact