USS Blueback Submarine — Attraction in Portland

The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) was amazing. There was so much to see and many activities to do with the kids. For a full in depth experience I recommend taking a few days to really experience each specific area. The submarine USS Blueback was a definite highlight. There aren't many organizations that operate a post WWII submarine for public tours. OMSI and the volunteers aboard the Blueback have a very well organized tour and the submarine is in great shape. Aside from the access that has been cut through her outer and pressure hulls in order to board the sub, she appears as if she's ready for another patrol. Due to the size of the submarine and the tight spaces inside, all tours are guided and are spaced apart to avoid groups from overlapping. Our docent Jane-Clair was very courteous, professional, and did great with the kids in our group. If you don't mind being in tight areas, visit the Blueback next time you go through...

I took my kids to OMSI and we purchased the submarine tour. Fact, OMSI is really expensive with three kids. Other fact, the Submarine tour while adding to that heavy price tag is well worth the extra expense. I cannot speak for all the tour guides, but ours really gave us a sense just how cramped and tiny these boats were when they were fully stocked with supplies and how miserable being on a submarine can be. Don't get me wrong, everything on the boat was incredibly cool, I'm just saying that he helped you see and understand just what challenges sailors assigned to a submarine had to deal with when he Blueback was in service. I am 6'3" and a generally big guy and I could fit through the hatches. So don't worry if you are concerned about being...

Overall a great experience that I recommend! Took my naval-history-obsessed boyfriend on a tour and I think even he learned something!!

My only constructive feedback to the operators would be to turn off the hokey fake sounds during the tours, or at least make them shorter rather than continuous! It was impossible to hear the actual guide's commentary over the sound of fake snores when we were the crew cabins, as he was in the next tiny bunk room over talking through a mask and we were next to the snore speaker at the back of our group.

It was super neat to have a navy vet conducting the tour. Even though he hadn't served on the submarine itself, he was able to give additional context to being in the Navy decades ago and what that was...