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  • Attractions
    • Avalon Theatre & Wunderland arcadeView All Attractions
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    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
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Margaret Seiler

Aerial view of the docked submarine on the Willamette River at OMSI Aerial view of the docked submarine on the Willamette River at OMSI
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Aerial view of the docked submarine on the Willamette River at OMSI in Portland, OR
Attractions / Family Friendly

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)

OMG — OMSI is the coolest museum in town.

Updated Oct. 13, 2022 2 min read Central Eastside

Margaret Seiler

Know Before You Go

OMSI is open and welcoming visitors. Masks are strongly encouraged and disposable face coverings are available upon request.

Masks are required for the following areas and activities:
* The USS Blueback Submarine
* The Teen Tech Center
* Reserved Group Lab Experiences

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination is required for the following activities:
* OMSI After Dark
* OMSI Maker Workshops

For more information, visit OMSI’s website.

Sitting on the Willamette River in Portland’s Central Eastside, this science museum is a must for any family to explore.

With a planetarium letting you and your little one’s explore the stars, a giant-screen theater playing documentaries to Hollywood blockbusters, a retired navy submarine docked outside, traveling exhibits of all kinds, and “After Dark” events that pair science talk with beer and wine for the 21-and-over set, the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry lures all ages.

But OMSI’s core fan base is still half-pints and STEM-fans, who can get their geek on and feel an earthquake, learn about physics in Turbine Hall, conduct experiments in interactive labs or watch storms form on a giant globe.

Questions About OMSI

When does OMSI open?

Summer Hours:
Sunday to Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday & Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fall/Winter Hours:
Tuesday through Friday & Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Closed Mondays during the school year, except during school holidays.

For current hours please check OMSI’s website.

How much does it cost to go to OMSI?

General admission:
Adult (14+) $12.00
Youth (3-13) $8.00
Senior (63+) $10.00
Children 2 years and under visit for free.

There is an additional charge for touring the USS Blueback submarine ($8.50 per person) and Planetarium shows ($7.50 per person). Occasionally, there is an extra charge for a special exhibit.

Details are subject to change; please check OMSI’s website for current information.

Does OMSI offer discounted admission?

Active duty military and veterans receive $2 off admission with a military ID. Discounted tickets may be purchased at the front desk.

OMSI also participates in the Access for All program. Visitors with an EBT card may purchase up to four general admission tickets at $5 each. Show a valid, matching ID and your EBT card at the front desk.
Details are subject to change; please visit OMSI’s website for the most current information.

Where is OMSI?

1945 SE Water Ave, Portland, OR 97214

Accessible by Portland Streetcar, Trimet, Bike or Car.

Is there free parking at OMSI?

OMSI’s parking lot costs $5 per day. Street parking is available, but the spaces have a one or two-hour time limit.

Visitors are encouraged to carpool or take public transportation. The Portland Streetcar’s Central Loop and MAX Light Rail Orange Line drop passengers a short walk from the OMSI’s front door.

Accessible Portland

Discover wheelchair-accessible and sensory-friendly attractions and activities in Portland, Oregon.

Read More

With so much to see many plan to spend a half or whole day at OMSI. You might be ready for a snack after all that fun, don’t worry. The renovated Theory Café takes museum fare to the next level, with goodies like oven-fired pizza, local beer sliders, and quinoa salad that can be enjoyed with Willamette River views. There’s even a tap list for adults! The Empirical Café, adjacent to the Empirical Theater, also serves snacks and drinks.

children playing with large interactive toys in an indoor play area at OMSI
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Kids get some hands-on learning at OMSI.
an adolescent boy looking through a submarine scope
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Kids can explore a real Naval submarine at OMSI.
Credit: Stephanie Graham
Explosive gas demo at OMSI
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A demo of gases’ explosive properties at OMSI After Dark’s annual “Fire & Ice” event.
Credit: Courtesy of OMSI
blue lights line the aisle way leading to a domed screen of a planetarium
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Planetarium at OMSI in Portland, OR
IMAX theater with stadium seating surrounding a bright blue glowing screen that reads Empirical Theater
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Empirical Theater at OMSI in Portland, OR
long dinning tables with benches in front of a cafeteria style food service counter
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Theory Restaurant at OMSI in Portland, OR

Just across the river from downtown, OMSI is easy to access by car, train, or bicycle. A wide sidewalk and well-marked pedestrian and bike lanes make the Hawthorne Bridge an easy stroll and the Portland Streetcar’s Central Loop and MAX Light Rail Orange Line drop passengers a short walk from the museum’s front door.

Attractions, For Kids, Museums

Family Fun

Portland keeps the whole family happy with these attractions and activities.

Fun For All
a red panda walks on a tree limb, surrounded by leaves

Oregon Zoo

Located near downtown Portland in Washington Park, the Oregon Zoo is home to more than 2,600 animals.

person walking through a museum exhibition of different trees

World Forestry Center Discovery Museum

Tree- and forest-lovers of all ages can learn about the importance of sustainability and experience a Portland icon at the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum, with exhibits on local and global forests.

Smiling children riding the colorful, retro Disk’O at Oaks Amusement Park.

Oaks Amusement Park

In Southeast Portland’s Sellwood neighborhood, Oaks Amusement Park has been providing families with carnival thrills and family fun since 1905.

Upcoming Science & Tech Events

Go To Events
OMSI Science Pub
Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023

OMSI Science Pub

Empirical Theater at OMSI $5

“This Woman, This Warrior”: Comics and Women’s Liberation At the Intersection of Commerce and Culture with Susan Kirtley, Ph.D., author, Professor of English and the Director of Comic Studies at Portland State University. In 1977 a comic was launched with the tagline, “This female fights back!” We can’t disclose who the character is, but you…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
Maple Sugaring at Hoyt Arboretum
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023

Maple Sugaring at Hoyt Arboretum

Hoyt Arboretum $20 – $25

Did you know that sap from the bigleaf maple tree, native to the Pacific Northwest, can be made into syrup similar to sugar maple syrup from the Eastern United States? Join Eliza Nelson from the Oregon Maple Project to learn about the history, science, process, and best practices for maple sugaring in the PNW. Take…

Guided Tour
History
Outdoors
Science & Tech
Abacus Math Regional Competition '23
Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023

Abacus Math Regional Competition '23

Mittleman Jewish Community Center Free

Are you ready for an unforgettable family experience? Join this FREE event, where everyone is welcome to come and have a blast. Bring your whole family and witness the incredible talent of young math prodigies as young as five years old who can outsmart a calculator. Not only will you watch these kids calculate numbers…

Cultural Communities
For Kids
Science & Tech
Love, Chocolate and The Brain
Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023

Love, Chocolate and The Brain

Patricia Reser Center for the Arts $19 – $44

Portland Chamber Orchestra Presents: Love, Chocolate and The Brain Listening to beautiful music, falling in love and eating delicious chocolate create intense feelings of pleasure – but why? OHSU neuroscientist Larry Sherman, Ph.D., joined by the Portland Chamber Orchestra and singer Naomi LaViolette, present a fascinating multi-media discussion and concert on how the brain experiences…

Music
Science & Tech
Epstein-Barr Virus Explained - You Can Heal
Monday, Feb. 20, 2023

Epstein-Barr Virus Explained – You Can Heal

The Herb Shoppe $30

In this class, you will discover how the Epstein Barr Virus is spread, how it feeds and mutates, why it can only be eradicated through nutrition and how you can heal. There are more than 60 strains of the Epstein Barr Virus, and some common strains are Chicken Pox, Mono, herpes, Shingles, HPV and Hepatitis….

Health & Wellness
Science & Tech
OMSI After Dark: Books and Brews
Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023

OMSI After Dark: Books and Brews

OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry) $25

OMSI After Dark: Books and Brews. Find your next favorite book, learn how to get self-published, and sample local brews. For adults 21+ Activities Happening All Night -Explore our featured exhibit (requires an additional ticket). Please note: access to the exhibit will close at 9:15PM. -Explore the Turbine Halls brain teasers, design challenges, shake house…

Beer
Nightlife
Science & Tech
Science on Tap
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023

Science on Tap

Alberta Rose Theatre $15 – $45

Science on Tap – The Mystique of Terroir: Geology and Wine ter·roir/tɛrˈwɑr; noun Definition: the environmental conditions, especially soil and climate, in which grapes are grown and that give a wine its unique flavor and aroma. The Willamette Valley has a certain je ne sais quoi, no? What unique quality of the region’s terroir yields…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
Time, Einstein and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe
Thursday, Feb. 23, 2023

Time, Einstein and the Coolest Stuff in the Universe

Linfield University Free

Join Nobel laureate Bill Phillips at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23 in Richard and Lucille Ice Auditorium for a lively presentation full of exciting experiments and down-to-earth explanations of today’s hottest (and coolest) science. Open to the public. Free tickets are available online.

Science & Tech
Winter Tree ID with Casey Clapp
Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023

Winter Tree ID with Casey Clapp

Hoyt Arboretum $20 – $25

Evergreen trees don’t change too much during the wintertime, but deciduous trees make a fairly dramatic transformation. Join arborist Casey Clapp of the podcast Completely Arbortrary on an educational walk through Hoyt Arboretum focused on identifying trees using only the clues left after their leaves fall away. This course will meander through the arboretum and…

Guided Tour
Outdoors
Science & Tech
Reading Fair & Family STEM Day
Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023

Reading Fair & Family STEM Day

University of Portland

Join in for the FREE annual Reading Fair at the University of Portland Chiles Center. They will have fun games, activities, crafts, and educational STEM booths for the entire family to enjoy.

For Kids
Science & Tech
National Geographic Live
Monday, Feb. 27, 2023

National Geographic Live

Newmark Theater $25 – $55

Beth Shapiro: How to Clone a Mammoth Could extinct species, like mammoths and passenger pigeons, be brought back to life? National Geographic Emerging Explorer Beth Shapiro is one of the scientists investigating this intriguing possibility. From deciding which species should be restored to anticipating how revived populations might be overseen in the wild, the technical…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
Tualatin Valley Gem Club Rock and Gem Show
Mar. 3–5, 2023

Tualatin Valley Gem Club Rock and Gem Show

Forest Grove National Guard Armory $1

Exhibits consist of all varieties and combinations of private collections. These collections can consist of lapidary works, wire-wrapped or silver-smithed gems, minerals in their crystal form, and fossils from around the world. Choose your favorite Exhibit or pick up a bargain rock specimen at the silent auction table. All the raffle prizes and silent auction…

Exhibition
Science & Tech
Science on Tap
Wednesday, Mar. 22, 2023

Science on Tap

Alberta Rose Theatre $15 – $45

Science on Tap: Partial Truths – How Fractions Distort Our Thinking Science On Tap presents a talk by and a talk with Dr. James C. Zimring, board certified in Clinical Pathology, a diplomate of the American Board of Pathology, and an elected member of the American Society of Clinical Investigation. A fast-food chain once tried…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
 National Geographic Live
Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023

National Geographic Live

Newmark Theater $25 – $55

Zoltan Takacs: Deadliest Lifesavers The Earth’s deadliest animal venoms are a source of several lifesaving medicines used to treat everything from heart attacks to diabetes. Yet there are millions of venom toxins in nature that remain unexplored. Biomedical scientist and inventor Zoltan Takacs collects snake, scorpion, jellyfish, and other venoms from around the world. He…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
Psycon Psychedelic Convention
May 19–20, 2023

Psycon Psychedelic Convention

Oregon Convention Center Cost Varies

PsyCon is the premier psychedelic conference and trade show for the booming psychedelic industry. PsyCon is a trailblazing psychedelic trade show specifically designed for businesses, entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts hoping to be at the forefront of this rapidly emerging industry. Learn from global thought leaders, peruse the latest psychedelic innovations, and develop meaningful connections sure to…

Conventions
Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
 National Geographic Live
Monday, May 22, 2023

National Geographic Live

Newmark Theater $25 – $55

Alize Carrere: Adaptation Explore the remarkable ways people around the world are adapting to our changing planet with environmental anthropologist and filmmaker Alizé Carrère. Dive into the South Pacific waters of Vanuatu, where islanders are using innovative techniques to combat outbreaks of crown-of-thorns starfish that threaten the surrounding reefs. In Bangladesh, discover how farmers in…

Readings & Talks
Science & Tech
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