N. Oregon Coast's Columbia River Maritime Museum Begins Expansion

Published 02/14/25 at 6:59 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Astoria, Oregon) – The famed town at the extreme northwest tip of Oregon is about to get a new museum. Well, sort of.

The north Oregon coast's legendary Columbia River Maritime Museum officially began its long-awaited Mariners Hall expansion project with a ceremonial groundbreaking event on February 9, 2025. The $31.5 million project will create a two-story structure adjacent to the museum on Marine Drive, aiming to enhance the preservation and presentation of the region's storied maritime heritage.

Spanning 24,500 square feet, Mariners Hall will significantly boost the museum's exhibition space, showcasing an array of historic vessels and maritime artifacts from this tumultuous part of the Oregon coast. The area is called the “Graveyard of the Pacific.”

Among the highlights are the Merrimac, a 45-foot wooden yacht crafted in 1938 by Astoria Marine Construction Co., and the Duke, a 1902 salmon tender built by Wilson Bros. of Astoria. Notably, the collection will include the Triumph II, a 52-foot motor lifeboat that served local fishermen for over 60 years at Point Adams and Cape Disappointment.

In addition to its collection of vessels, Mariners Hall will feature a dedicated classroom for the museum’s educational programs and a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) space. This expansion is designed to facilitate hands-on learning experiences for visitors of all ages, fostering deeper community engagement through interactive exhibits and educational outreach.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection photo

Bruce Jones, the museum's Executive Director, said this will greatly add to the museum's mission and the local community.

“We are committed to ensuring that the Columbia River Maritime Museum remains a cultural and economic anchor of our community,” he said. “We will support local economic development by hiring predominantly local contractors and subcontractors for Mariners Hall. Additionally, we believe Astoria deserves beautiful modern architecture that honors our heritage while looking toward the future.”

Breaking ground (courtesy photo)

The groundbreaking of Mariners Hall is part of the museum's broader Campus Transformation Plan, a multi-year effort to enhance both indoor and outdoor spaces from 2024 to 2026. Prior to the commencement of Mariners Hall construction, the museum renovated 11,000 square feet of existing gallery space in the Main Museum building, adding two new Indigenous exhibits that debuted in Fall 2024.

To bring this vision to life, the museum has partnered with several esteemed organizations. Rickenbach Construction, an Astoria-based general contractor, will oversee the construction, with architectural design by Opsis Architecture of Portland and exhibit design by Seattle's Storyline Studio. The Mariners Hall project is anticipated to be completed in 2026, marking a new chapter for the Columbia River Maritime Museum and solidifying its status as a premier cultural and educational institution in the region.

For more information about Mariners Hall and the Columbia River Maritime Museum, visit www.crmm.org. 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon.

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Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

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