Columbia Gorge Museum — Attraction in Stevenson

Stopped in here for a break while touring the Columbia river gorge. Steep $10 admission fee at the front desk; the front lobby was filled with tables, cables and chip bags to which the attendant said "Don't mind our mess." and was never heard from again.

Aside from the first room with Native American items and short histories, there was no particular theme to anything else in the rest of the museum -- just a bunch of stuff that had been donated by various families grouped together, and paper signs saying "[the interactive digital exhibit would go here once we get enough funds. Consider donating!]". Dead bugs in exhibit windows and item descriptions for maybe... half the things in a case?

Either the docents are the ones leaving this place 5 star reviews or I'm completely missing something, but I'd definitely advise skipping...

Very nice...given the area. Unfortunately not a lot of what I expected....Columbia River "then and now"....contrasting the Columbia today with the +

Though there were several river related artifacts: salmon trapping device, logging and saw mill tools, train engine....there were some unrelated collections that the museum has been entrusted to hold...such as a fairly comprehensive rosary collection...one in particular stuck out...one with a swastika instead of a cross!

The main theater was down, so we had to watch the 20 minute video in DVD standard definition (boy, are we spoiled). Most of it focused on the geological formation of the Columbia River Gorge and not much on the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery and how the Columbia may have looked...

After we made our way across the Bridge of the Gods, we made our way into Stevenson Washington. We noticed a museum along the road and decided to make another stop. We are so glad we did. We spent more time here during the day than any other place we visited.

Nothing like a scrap yard/museum to get this kid excited. He is 13, but still loves trains and all of the equipment involved in mining. We did not even go inside. Instead we took a few hours looking at old mining equipment and trains on display outside. It was very old and in disrepair and I think that is what made it more interesting. My son prefers old, retired relics than completely restored displays....