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World Forestry Center
4033 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221, United States
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Is
Review №1

An absolutely amazing facility with many hands on displays and interactive areas. Very informative and fun! Would highly recommend! Great for all ages.

J
Review №2

Good place to learn forestry for kids and adult. Many different interactive display panels to understand our relationship with forest and connect visitors to nature. It takes around 1.5 to 2 hours in there.

Ba
Review №3

Lots of Hreat information and interactive exhibits to keep the children entertained.

Mi
Review №4

Great meeting & event space! Happy hour in museum is the best!

Be
Review №5

Annual mycological society meeting. Got some awesome information and a mushroom log. Would be nice to have a bike rack.

Ma
Review №6

This is a fantastic educational resource for children and families ! As an adult I found it a bit dull, only because I didn’t realize it’s geared towards children. The museum is a broad overview of forestry, with great emphasis on types of forests around the world, the basic structure of a forest, and a history of the logging industry in Oregon. There is also a big emphasis on sustainability in logging which is great. Lots of interactive exhibits that kids will find exciting, and lots of illustrative exhibits. I’d say kids from 6 to 12 would probably enjoy this place most. I would pair this museum with a walk in the arboretum for some for a hands-on experience! Take the MAX, it’s steps away from the Washington Park station!

Ma
Review №7

We love the place. Very clean, well spaced. We came to volunteer for the Tea Festival. Lots of fun. Of course the parking is quite a challenge. It is locared in the Zoo so 2 in 1. If bringing the family plus events. Great venue for big events. Family friendly mini hikes.

Iv
Review №8

Super educational. Nice and helpful staff

An
Review №9

Couldnt find Big Foot, but enjoyed looking

Al
Review №10

When I arrived in Portland, I selected this center as my first itinery. This center has a lot of things for children to enjoy.

To
Review №11

They had some pretty cool exhibit that werent completely catered to kids. This was a nice change of pace from normal science museums because this was more in depth. They had a really cool petrified wood collection. This museum was definitely worth the visit and admission price. I dont know how often if at all they change exhibits, but I would go back regardless. You could spend 2- 3 hours here reading everything.

Mo
Review №12

Located just across from Oregon Zoo this is a place for learning about nature preservation

Da
Review №13

Beautiful museum. Somewhat small but has a decent amount of info. Good for kids, will take less than two hours.

Da
Review №14

A wonderful and memorable place for those who have interests within earth sciences, the environment & nature in general. I went here for two different field trips, and intended to go again asap (its literally been over a decade since I last went now). I actually remember prior to them putting this center in up here, along with the Childrens Museum. Both epic additions for sure. This is a great place for anyone & everyone to self-educate via all the exhibits and information they have there for all to interact with, engage with & read.

Ch
Review №15

Loved this place...... just excellent for kids and adults... Affordable and parking I think was cheaper to the left than right of area... could spend 3 hrs here. But we spent closer to 2.

Ja
Review №16

Very clean, well maintained and uncomfortable. The architecture is splendid, and theres a fossilized tree trunk outside.

R
Review №17

Really enjoyed this museum, and how interactive it was. The grounds around it are great enough for a walk as well, if you happen to be out of towners as well.My partner and I especially liked the animal prints and the facts about how they affected their environment.I also loved that they focused throughout of different cultures and their forestry, and you can visit Africa, China, Russia, and the Amazon through different play areas.Great for all ages! We are 28, have no kids, and had a blast.

Da
Review №18

Teaches sustainability without a political agenda.

Dy
Review №19

I am lucky enough to be invited to some amazing conferences and events at the Miller hall of the Forestry center. Its beautiful. Nestled in between the zoo and the Hoyt Arboretum, it has an amazing discovery center for all to enjoy. It sparks the imagination and creativity of any who enter. Plenty to see and do while parked only feet away! I highly suggest going once, twice, or dozens of times!!

Va
Review №20

Outstanding!. Cost of admission is about $7 for adults, free for toddlers

Jo
Review №21

This was initially a pit stop during a road trip and turned out to be a wonderful surprise. The exhibits were engaging and interesting and facility clean and well maintained. Overall, a fun and worth while stop.

An
Review №22

A beautiful little museum! Its full of great information on all things forest and forestry. Appropriate for both kids and adults. Interactive exhibits and gorgeous wooden building. You could probably spend 1-2 hours here and get plenty out of it, or you could pay the full day parking rate and explore all of Washington Park. Theres a cafe across the street by the zoo that you do not need zoo admission to eat at.

Jo
Review №23

Under-rated Portland museum. I take young grandkids here, one at a time, because there are relatively few visitors so you can have a quiet adventure with a lot of talk and play. The exhibits are quite good, actually, and there is enough physical stuff to please the youngest children (trains, logging equipment, 4WDs, animal puppets, river raft, outdoor waterfall...)

Jo
Review №24

We went with a field trip and lots of kids. It was ok for the older kids and more mature people. The younger kids lost interest. However for the forestry center its a really cool place. By far the favorite was the antique train. Its set up so you can climb up and explore the train. They also liked the elevator. If you are visiting the Portland area this is a neat place to spend the afternoon.

Ro
Review №25

Attended a wedding and reception here. Just beautiful! Will be back to see more if tnis beautiful area. The grounds look absolutely amazing! Well maintained and VERY clean.

Le
Review №26

This was a very cool find. While it is geared for school aged kids, I stilled learned a few things. Its pretty small so if you were short on time you could be done in under an hour.

Ce
Review №27

Save your money, time and energy. This place is terrible and funded by logging industry. Displays are not kid friendly and lacking.

Da
Review №28

I was hoping this was going to be about forest ecology and conservation but instead it was all propaganda for the logging industry in the form of educational exhibits geared towards children. For example: an arcade-game-like-simulator of a logging harvester machine (that was broken), a display equating timber plantations to old-growth forests, and an exhibit on the different types of forest management techniques such as clearcutting - a perfectly reasonable practice, if you are to believe the description in the exhibit. Finally, I knew the place had to be bank-rolled by the logging industry when I went upstairs and found a bougie library of maybe 100 or more multi-paragraph biographies of logging company CEOs. Listen, Im not saying the timber industry is evil, its not. But this building is presenting biased information on behalf of an industry that is at odds with the natural world - a world which is on the brink of a mass extinctionevent due to human activities. And logging ranks pretty high up on that list of activities.

Jo
Review №29

A great family experience to learn the importance of the worlds forrest.

Ha
Review №30

A cool place if you like museums and forests! The front desk people were very nice. Its small but there is a lot of interesting and hands on stuff packed in. It was a great, un-crowded option for us to take our 9 month old.

Jo
Review №31

Amazing place

An
Review №32

So much to do in the area, childrens museum, the zoo, Japanese garden, rose garden, the list goes on. Great views of the city and downtown.

Zi
Review №33

Great two story museum dedicated to forests and wood. Lots of interactive exhibits. Quite a few short movies to watch and learn about different forests all over the world. Love coming here!!

Mi
Review №34

Well done. Interesting gallery on old logging town.

Mi
Review №35

Loved it, especially since I was in Portland for a forestry convention. More directed at kids and families but I had fun anyways.

Em
Review №36

I was here for my cousins wedding and loved it. It’s SO beautiful and the food they catered for the wedding was AMAZING!

Jo
Review №37

Very disappointed, they would not refund me for cancelling 5 months in advance. Selfish. Would not recommend for any event.

Jo
Review №38

Great place to take the kidsThey always enjoy climbing on the train out front

Ka
Review №39

Great especially for school groups, and also fun and informative for adult visitors. Located in an area with many more things to see, and easy to visit via public transit.

Ma
Review №40

It was nice but I felt like the displays were a little outdated

Su
Review №41

Fascinating displays of the wonder of trees! The cross-sections of petrified wood were beautiful abstracts created by Mother Nature. True works of art.Trying to jump as a firefighter was challenging and fun. Brought home how difficult it is, and how courageous our fire jumpers are.My one complaint - there is a lift to see what is like to go to the treetops. I was saving the best for last, but it CLOSES at 4pm, 1 hour before the museum closes. That should be told to customers. All other hands-on parts are open till museum closing.I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone. Educational, informative and fun. Just what a learning experience should be

mu
Review №42

Great informative place, very pleasant experience, its cute.

Pa
Review №43

Beautiful facility that is surprisingly interesting for both older children and adults because of hands-on exhibits. Younger children (under ~6?) might not understand the subject matter of many of the exhibits, but will still be entertained because of the hands-on nature.The parking situation is completely out of control. We had no interest in using the shuttle because it was bitter cold and we were formally dressed. After circling and circling, we finally found an open spot in front of the zoo entrance. The spots are so narrow that we had to let the passengers out before parking. There was only about 10 inches between cars. We have no idea how the people next to us were able to get into their cars and leave. We have an older car so we were OK with our doors getting banged up. My advice: Use lightrail to save yourself many headaches.

Ch
Review №44

One of the best places to explore Oregons nature. Near the zoo and a must see! I highly recommend a visit and for those that embrace mother nature; I think you will leave with a smile! Children will love this place!!!

Mi
Review №45

Great place for kids but not much for adults.

Ti
Review №46

I hiked with a group first through the Vietnam War Memorial. Then off through some woodsy trails to a high point that had a good view of the city and hazy mountains .We stopped at the viewpointand had apple cider and donuts. After starting up again on the hike we went on a trail towards my car then I bid goodbye and went to my car.

Li
Review №47

Quite informative centre, however, definitely geared more towards school groups and school age than adults. Could do with a little upgrading but still very much worth a visit to spend a few hours in.

Pa
Review №48

The manager here, Morgan, does such an incredibly good job!

MA
Review №49

Went to view the Sitka art exhibit. Hadnt been back up into the buildings, usually just went to the zoo. Parking was easy, and the buildings were cute and well maintained.

J
Review №50

Neat place. Forestry/logging simulation was worn out and not working correctly so that was a disappointment. Enjoyed it more than I had though. Good information and a learning opportunity. Doesnt look like exhibits change much so after youve seen it once ......

Pa
Review №51

Nicely done. Could emphasize forest ecology a bit more. Good explanation of forestry practices. Overall, a nice blend.

Th
Review №52

This place is SO underrated! My daughters love coming here and I am humbled everytime. Plus zero crowd compared to the Zoo which is in same parking lot.

Ji
Review №53

A great place but sometimes hard to get a parking spot in the summer because of the zoo next door, limited parking

Am
Review №54

Small museum about forestry and some cultural information. Interactive exhibits, but mostly video presentations. Inexpensive: $7 adults & $5 kids. There is senior pricing and free for tiny tots.

Ma
Review №55

This is very educational. Went here back in the 70s, and took my daughters here when they were young. For anyone who wants to give an educational place a low rating, dont bother. It just means that your a gamer and cant enjoy the finer things in life.

ch
Review №56

Really nice building, but the exhibits are lacking. We took a handful of our kids from daycare here and there just wasnt enough to do. Its too bad because theres so much potential here. But the kids loved how the place looked.

Je
Review №57

What a gem! My kids are under 5 and love this place! There is lots for them to do, its a great price, and never as crowded as the childrens museum or zoo. Would be great for older kids too, activities for all age levels.

Sc
Review №58

Educational displays focused on Pacific Northwest forestry, ecology and wildlife

Ca
Review №59

Such a fun interactive museum. It was a great place for a wedding reception!

Ja
Review №60

Not a whole lot to do, but whats there is neat and the young ones enjoy their time there

Ca
Review №61

Great exhibits. Its perfect for younger kids with lots of hands on things.

Ja
Review №62

Most of the exhibits had something broken or was completely out of commission. Not worth the money.

Be
Review №63

My son loves the outdoors and nature in general. So when we took him here, he loved all the different exhibits and things to learn about not only nature but how we as people interact both past and present.I wouldnt say this place is for everyone. But those that really love want to get in depth with the land around us and how man works with the land and not against it, the Foresty Museum does a good job.There is something here for both kids and adults. The parachuting simulator is pretty cool as you try and copy the precise jumping skills that forest workers have to make. Also, another cool simulator is the tree feller. You get to cut down a series of trees with the feller within a specific time frame.There are discount days so be sure to check their website for up to date information.

As
Review №64

Nice enclosed space with cool things to look at. A big train just outside you can stand in, a large tree harvester you can sit in, a simulated atv ride (video screen), and other fun activities for littles to enjoy.

Gr
Review №65

Many of the exhibits were closed. Not much for the preschooler to do. The parachute ride is gone. And the screen quality of the movies was horrible. Needs improvements BIG time. We brought kids from 16 to 3 and we were done with everything within one hour.

Ol
Review №66

Great place to visit with the family, fun for all ages. Plenty of exhibits and activities to keep you busy. My three year old loved planting trees and climing on the giant logging tractor, and my wife and I even learned some interesting facts about the forest.

P
Review №67

Our daughter celebrated her wedding in Wilson Hall. It was a very nice venue

J
Review №68

Had fun with my girls her, I would go again loved it rite by the zoo to

Do
Review №69

This place is amazing, it is easy to forget because it is next to the Zoo and Childrens Museum.

Ky
Review №70

This place is fun the first and second time but after no renovation or updates for over a decade it is boring. I thought Id give it another go since my zoo membership got my family in for free but with no special exhibit on and everything the same as before we left shortly after arrival.

Ch
Review №71

It was a neat way to spend a couple of hours. We also learned some cool facts and a little history about Forestry.

Am
Review №72

Attended the Portland Tea Festival here. Great location. Great place.

Fe
Review №73

Kid friendly! Lots of cool stuff to see and do.

Sa
Review №74

A lot to discover inside - great with children.

Ke
Review №75

A great time for the family and right next to the Oregon zoo

Ly
Review №76

Very interesting and interactive museum. Its fun for children. Could stay and be entertained 2-3 hours.

Ni
Review №77

Its a forest museum with interactive exhibits like those found at OMSI. About 90 minutes to complete. Combine with visit to zoo or childrens museum, or just the zoo restaurant and gift shop (and mountain goat) which you can visit without zoo admission.

ol
Review №78

Cool place to visit in Portland areaWish you didnt have to pay tho

De
Review №79

Many of the exhibits were out of order, but it was still an interesting field trip!

Be
Review №80

Cool place. Loved it. Great place to educate.

Ir
Review №81

Fun museum with lots of opportunities for interactivity. I wish there was more of a giftshop! Heavy on videos, which are not the most effective way to convey information at a museum.

In
Review №82

Museum about forests and how people use them. Some exhibits are dated, but I thought the museum was good. I spent 2 hours here.

Ta
Review №83

Great place to take adults and kids. Sad.several exhibits were closed.

Py
Review №84

A lot of interactive exhibits are out of order

Be
Review №85

Not a place Id take visitors to Portland. Should be free for what is offered. Kinda boring unless youre obsessed with the timber industry

Qu
Review №86

Awesome new exhibit on mass timber and cross laminated building products for a sustainable future.

Ad
Review №87

If a tree falls in the middle of a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? If there is any place on earth that would know the answer to that single question, its this place.

Sh
Review №88

Fun little place for kids, and great to go before stomping around the woods outback.

Sh
Review №89

Very interactive for adults and children! I would highly recommend this for all families... you could spend several hours here!

Ko
Review №90

Came here for a funeral and it was lovely. I havent been to the actual forestry center in a long time

De
Review №91

The forestry center has fun exhibits and if beautifully crafted. A must visit for families.

Al
Review №92

Installations are quite dates but very good info on forestry in OR. Definitely swing through the Hoyt Arboretum on your way out!

Ma
Review №93

A big indoor experience about the outdoors. More interesting than I expected

Ka
Review №94

I went to the TeaFest. Very fun

Me
Review №95

Wonderful exhibits, a great way to learn about the worlds forests.

Ab
Review №96

Excellent place to visit, really fun and informative!

Lo
Review №97

Friendly attentive staff, ample parking, easy access from freeway and mass transit.

Fr
Review №98

Went to an event at Cheatum hall nice place

Je
Review №99

Fun, interactive museum.

Am
Review №100

Lots of great information.

Information
100 Photos
100 Comments
4.4 Rating
  • Address:4033 SW Canyon Rd, Portland, OR 97221, United States
  • Site:http://worldforestry.org/
  • Phone:+1 503-228-1367
Categories
  • Museum
  • Children's museum
  • Conference center
  • Education center
  • Event venue
  • Non-profit organization
  • Tourist attraction
  • Wedding venue
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible car park:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible lift:Yes
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet:Yes
Amenities
  • Good for kids:Yes
  • Toilets:Yes
  • Wi-Fi:Yes
  • Restaurant:No
Crowd
  • Family friendly:Yes
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