Hunter Farnbach

History 485
Dr. Burns
November 25, 2023
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Midterm Essay

In the heart of Portland, the Oregon Historical Society stands as a prominent voice in our

museum network. During my recent visit to the museum, I delved into the exhibits that

showcased Oregon's journey through time and another focusing on the inclusivity of their

curatorial practices. Throughout this essay, I explore both the museum’s physical space and their

online presence and discuss the strides that the museum has taken towards their goals.

The "Experience Oregon" exhibit achieved a

commendable balance between various artifacts and interactive

elements, and displayed the history of the state via a timeline

that wrapped through the exhibit. For instance, this walk-through

covered wagon with a map illustrating how to pack and allocate

space offered a hands-on experience of the challenges faced by

Oregon's pioneers. While the exhibit leaned more towards

showcasing type pieces, which might be perceived as less

personal, this was a strategic choice given the expansive time

span being covered and the fact that this exhibit had a very large

scope beyond just the physical objects that have been used by residents of the state for centuries.

These type pieces provided visual context to an otherwise text-heavy exhibit, helping to fill gaps

in the narrative and engage visitors with a broader historical overview, but seeing the much more
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personal pieces in the “125 years of the Oregon HIstorical Society” really brings to mind the fact

that millions of people have lived entire lives here on this land before me and yet their stories can

live on through places like this. While this thought does warm my heart a bit, I still worked my

way through the exhibit with a feeling of dread akin to Clint Smith's exploration of Monticello,

as we both knew the uncomfortable truths of these places.1 Thankfully, the Oregon Historical

Society did not wholly shy away from addressing dark chapters in the state's past. The flagship

permanent exhibit, "Experience Oregon," delves into the complexities of the state's history,

including the infamous "Lash Law." Witnessing a visitor's audible disappointment at this

revelation highlighted the emotional impact that confronting uncomfortable history can have on

museum-goers.

One of the museum's temporary exhibits stood out for its commitment to inclusivity.

Featuring a curated collection of materials from diverse voices across Oregon, the exhibit sought

to uplift narratives often overlooked in traditional historical narratives. This display was not

merely a collection of artifacts but a platform for sharing stories, particularly those of people of

color and women. The personal ties that many items had to their previous owners created a more

intimate connection between the audience and the history

being presented. One commendable interactive element

was a station where visitors could engage with recipes

sourced from community cookbooks spanning 125 years.

This hands-on experience allowed visitors to connect

with Oregon's culinary history, emphasizing the

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importance of everyday life in shaping the state's cultural identity. Such interactive elements go

beyond traditional museum experiences, encouraging a more immersive and personal

engagement with history.

While the small acknowledgement of our state’s less than savory past is certainly a step

in the right direction, it is just that, a small step, and their practices outside of this exhibit leave a

lot to be desired. The museum states in their Statement on Racial Justice and Equality that

they’re “not neutral on the White supremacy,” and back their statement through actions such as

partnering with the Oregon Black Pioneers and including the voices of Black scholars such as

Dr. Darrell Millner and Dr. Carmen Thompson. However, both their staff and their board of

directors has, historically, been majority white, which, as was discussed in Yaling Jiang‘s article,

significantly stunts the progress and growth that OHS can make.2 Their online presence includes

access to several historical databases, including the Oregon Encyclopedia which provides essays

written by historians including a lot of Dr. Millner’s work. The Oregon History Project, which is

an archive of photographs and archival materials, does have some Indigenous materials but

nothing pops up when you search the word “Indigenous.”3 Once you search for “Native

American,” you can find images of Forest Grove Indian School, 1881, which they describe as

“becoming one of the more successful boarding schools in the government system” written by

Dane Bevan.

The Oregon Historical Society aims to be a beacon of inclusive curatorial practices,

weaving together diverse voices, engaging interactive elements, and a careful balance of real

artifacts and recreations. The museum's promise to confront uncomfortable truths and present a
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comprehensive narrative of Oregon's history demonstrates strides to fostering a more inclusive

understanding of the past. While they certainly have a long way to go in terms of their overall

practices and especially their databases, it is clear that this newest rendition of their flagship

exhibit has had a lot of care taken in its curation in order to balance telling this story to its fullest

and keep their board happy. Overall, this was a fairly accessible space and made even more so by

their commitment to providing this space for

Multnomah county residents for free, thus

removing the cost barrier and opening up the

museum to people who otherwise would have

been priced out. Through my visit, I witnessed

not only the evolution of a state but also the

evolution of museum practices towards a more

inclusive and engaging approach to storytelling.

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Works Cited

1. Smith, Clint. “The Monticello Plantation.” Essay. In How the Word Is Passed a Reckoning
with the History of Slavery Across America, 8–51. Boston, MA: Little Brown and Company,
2022.

2. Jiang, Yaling. “Board Diversity Takes Precedence at These Museums.” Artsy, September 29,
2020. https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-takes-museum-boards-diverse.

3. Oregon History Wayfinder. Accessed November 25, 2023.

https://www.oregonhistorywayfinder.org/#/.