The Oregon Heritage Commission has awarded $74,278 in grants to 13 museums throughout the state, including the Deschutes County Historical Society in Bend. The grants will help fund a variety of projects including collection preservation, visitor education and heritage tourism. Award amounts ranged from $800-$10,000.
Funded projects:
- Albany Regional Museum, in Albany, to digitize 16mm film from the U.S Bureau of Mines.
- Architectural Heritage Center, in Portland, to develop improved collections storage systems.
- B-17 Alliance Foundation, in Salem, to digitize oral histories of veterans.
- Crater Rock Museum, in Jackson County, to rehouse the Indigenous America Collections.
- Deschutes County Historical Society, in Bend, to catalog and digitize photographs from the Bend Bulletin.
- Elkton Community Education Center, in Elkton, to create and install interpretive signage that incorporates the Native American and European perspectives on the impact of the Hudson’s Bay Company on the land.
- Five Oaks Museum, in Washington County, to reinterpret and redesign the interpretive pavilion and develop learning materials for local schools.
- Jordan Valley Owyhee Heritage Council, in Malheur County, for roof replacement at the I.O.N. Heritage Museum.
- Keizer Heritage Foundation, in Keizer, to install an interactive kiosk and software for visitors to access collections.
- Sheridan Museum of History, in Sheridan, to catalog and house the collection.
- The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Oregon (Hoover-Minthorn House), in Newberg, to install a hanging track system for exhibits.
- Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, in Tillamook, to upgrade the climate control systems.
- Willamette Heritage Center, in Salem, to purchase traveling exhibit equipment for the Chinese American and Japanese American history exhibits.
The museum grant program is offered annually by the Oregon Heritage Commission, part of the Oregon Heritage program at Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD). The grant program began in 1965 when only 24 organizations were eligible for the program. The grant is funded OPRD lottery dollars.
The Oregon Heritage Commission works to secure, sustain and enhance Oregon’s heritage. The Commission sponsors heritage initiatives that educate the public about the value of heritage and celebrate the state’s diversity.
The Oregon Heritage Commission consists of nine members appointed by the governor and nine agency advisors. Members are chosen from state agencies and statewide organizations, and represent a diverse geographical and heritage background.
To learn more about the Oregon Museum Grant or the Oregon Heritage Commission, visit oregonheritage.org or contact Kuri Gill at Kuri.gill@oregon.gov or 503-986-0685.