Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland, OR 97205
libreference@ohs.org
https://www.ohs.org/research-and-library/
Portland Children's Museum records
Portland Children's Museum
Coll 882
1.74 cubic feet
1 record carton; 1 flat box (16x20)
1946-2019
1997-2019
Administrative records, design documents, promotional materials, and memorabilia of the Portland Children's Museum in Portland, Oregon. The museum was founded as the Junior Museum in 1946 by Dorothea Lensch. After being located in the Jacob Kamm House and then on SW 2nd Avenue, it moved to Washington Park in 2001. The museum closed at the end of June 2021.
English
The Portland Children's Museum in Portland, Oregon, was founded in 1946 by Portland Parks Commissioner Dorothea Lensch. Until 1970 it was known as the Junior Museum. Although the museum was originally located in the former residence of Jacob Kamm at NW Main and 14th, it moved to SW 2nd Avenue in the Lair Hill neighborhood in 1950. In 2001, the museum relocated once again, this time to a building in Washington Park formerly used by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. For the first few years after the move to Washington Park, the museum rebranded itself as Children's Museum 2nd Generation, or CM2, but in 2004 the name officially changed to Portland Children's Museum. The museum at Washington Park was also the location of Opal School, a pre-kindergarten to fifth grade charter school. Citing financial difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the museum and school closed in June 2021.
The collection consists of the records and memorabilia of the Portland Children's Museum of Portland, Oregon. Records include annual reports, program schedules, architectural records relating to the museum's move to Washington Park, and design documents, proofs, and samples for exhibits, signage, mailers, and other promotional materials. Other materials include programs for the museum's "Be a Kid Again" gala; a scrapbook of clippings, photographs, programs, and ephemera from the 1940s through the 1980s; advertisements and other promotional materials; and ephemera.
Collection is open for research.
The Oregon Historical Society owns the materials in the Research Library and makes available reproductions for research, publication, and other uses. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collections. In some cases, permission for use may require seeking additional authorization from copyright owners.
Portland Children's Museum records, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
The collection is arranged in four series: Series 1. Administrative records; Series 2. Museum move to Washington Park; Series 3. Designs for exhibits, signage, and promotional materials; Series 4. Promotional materials, memorabilia, and ephemera.
Gift of Portland Children's Museum, July 2021 (RL2021-068).
Artifacts were separated to Museum Collections, Oregon Historical Society.
Some materials were removed from binders for preservation and space purposes. These materials were kept in their original order.
Portland Children's Museum
Children's museums--Oregon--Portland
Children and Youth
memorabilia
scrapbooks
designs (artistic concepts)
Administrative records
Series 1
1993-2019
English.
Annual reports
2016-2019
English.
1
1
Mission statement
circa 2001
English.
1
2
Public relations campaign plan for private educators
2008 December
English.
1
3
Opal School - Frequently Asked Questions and articles about Reggio Emilia method of teaching
1993-2001
English.
1
4
Programs scheduling information
circa 2005
English.
1
5
Summer program information
2002
English.
1
6
Style guide
2000 May
English.
2
1
Museum move to Washington Park
Series 2
1997-2001
English.
Feasibility study for museum's relocation to Oregon Museum of Science and Industry building at Washington Park
1997 September
English.
1
7
Schematic design report
1998 February 27
English.
2
2
Building plan addendums
2000 September 29
English.
1
8
Construction administration plan
2000 November 6
English.
1
9
Wayfinding sign program specifications
2001 April 13
English.
2
3
Design for poster advertising move
2001
English.
1
10
Designs for exhibits, signage, and promotional materials
Series 3
circa 2010-2013
English.
Design document for "Drip City" exhibit
circa 2010
English.
1
11
Mud Room and Outdoor Adventure design records
circa 2013
English.
1
12
Outdoor Adventure design illustrations and construction photographs
circa 2013
English.
1
13
Design proofs and samples for mailers, cards, signs, and activity sheets
2012
English.
1
14-16
Design proofs and samples for mailers, cards, signs, and ephemera
2012
English.
1
17-19
Promotional materials, memorabilia, and ephemera
Series 4
1946-2018
circa 2001-2018
English.
Scrapbook with newspaper clippings, photographs, programs, and ephemera
1946-1984
English.
2
4
Promotional calendar
2007
English.
1
20
Flyers and brochures
circa 2001-2010
English.
1
21
Be a Kid Again gala programs
2015-2018
English.
1
22
Outdoor Adventure capital campaign promotional packet
2013
English.
1
23
Souvenir book, "Nature Journal: An Exploration in Outdoor Adventure"
2016
English.
1
24
Patch and stationery from memorabilia binder
circa 2010
English.
1
25
Materials from "Exhibits" section of memorabilia binder
2008-2010
English.
1
26
Materials from "Box Office" section of memorabilia binder
circa 2010
English.
1
27
Materials from "Ads" section of memorabilia binder
2010
English.
1
28
Materials from "Education" section of memorabilia binder
2010-2011
English.
1
29
Children's Learning Center materials from memorabilia binder
2009-2010
English.
1
30
Materials from "Programs" section of memorabilia binder
2007-2010
English.
1
31
Newsletters from memorabilia binder
2008-2010
English.
1
32
Materials from "Development" section of memorabilia binder
2010
English.
1
33
Photo collage of Be a Kid Again gala from memorabilia binder
2009
English.
1
34
Be a Kid Again gala materials from memorabilia binder
2008
English.
1
35
Materials from "Executive" portion of memorabilia binder
2006-2010
English.
1
36