End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center — Attraction in Oregon City

I'm really confused by all the good reviews. I went here with my kids, husband, and his parents, and we all thought it was pretty boring and didn't provide much information. There was a big map at the beginning that was helpful, otherwise it was mostly reading lots of little snippets here and there and trying to piece the story together. Most of the space was occupied with a fake schoolroom and general store but there wasn't really any information about anything there.

The volunteer was really pushy and every time we moved, looked at anything, or commented she'd come over and want to correct us or have a conversation, including the candle making. Btw the candle making seemed dangerous - vats of hot wax and stools so little kids can reach right in.

The movie was ok and provided most of the information we got there. Weirdly, through the other side of the movie theater is more exhibits, and there's no other way of getting to them, and we went through those doors and found it by chance. The day we were there a guy was doing a PowerPoint on Oregon geography trivia, and there were no illustrations so we had no context for anything so we didn't stay long for that.

Beyond all this, the layout was so weird, and it seemed like a lot of wasted space. It felt like this museum had been awesome when built, and then sat and decayed for a decade. Even walking around outside, the layout of the path was weird and I think we ended up doing it backwards somehow.

We got in mostly free using passes from our library, but if we'd paid full admission, we would have been really ticked off. I was hoping to find out about the Oregon trail- who came, why they came, and what the journey was like. I feel like I didn't find...

Amazing place. It was when I was a kid and it still is now that I am taking my kids there. We were there today and we spent close to 4 hours there. My kids ages 6, 4, and 1 spent an hour in the 1st wagon alone. They eole played in the schoolhouse, dressed up in period era clothes and packed a wagon. They got to play games of the time amd there was so much to learn and they loved me reading all the info and getting excoted when names we read in wagon 1 popped up again in wagon 3.

They especially loved all the interactive things and the fact they got to make things to take home made them so incredibly happy. They made journals, got to dip candles and made cloth dolls. The scavenger hunt was fun and the little reward at the end made them feel so special. We were the only ones there for a bit so even got to watch the movie in the theater with just us 5 and even with no one else the woman who put it on had no issue doing so. She was just excited to teach my kids. After doing the inside we read all the information outside, looked at the garden and had a great lunch and play session on the beautiful lawn (lady throwing her dog a ball in the afternoon though...clean up after your dog...super rude)

It may not be the largest or most tech heavy (which I love but know many like more up-to-date museums)but it is a oregon treasure. Please take your kids or yourself...it is well cared for and the staff there you can tell truly loves their jobs. Amazing place with amazing people. We will 100% be back again. Total side note but we were also happy to see them have boxed water instead...

A lot of history can be learned here, there are many really cool displays of life in the mid 1800's. We have spent most of the summer visiting historic parts of Oregon so this was a good addition but also something of a review of much we have seen. If you are well versed in Oregon trail or Oregon State history you will probably not gain much from a visit. If you are new to Discovery of those subjects this will be a great help. If you are choosing between the admission for inside or outside only, choose the inside. There is very little added with the outside tour and if it is the only thing you do it's a waste of money. Our tour guide was not well informed and contradicted much of the information displayed inside. The tour drug on very long with very little really shared, just many rabbit trails and attempts at humor. Additionally make sure you verify the tour schedule. We were just late on the first tour and came back out to catch the second and after 15 minutes of waiting at the tour gathering point, past the scheduled start time, we found someone inside who said(with no explanation) "oh it's not happening now because it's so far past the start time." All in all it is a place to learn some cool history but gives the feeling of a small town tourist trap or just another city park(toilets overflowing, cobwebs and dead bugs covering all the lights) rather than the historic national landmark it really should represent. In all honesty I would recommend the high desert museum in Bend over this...