The Columbia River Maritime Museum is committed to making
its collections, buildings, programs and services accessible to all visitors.
Please email accessibility@crmm.org for accessibility questions or assistance.
JOIN US FOR SENSORY SUNDAY August 6, 2023, 9:30-10:30AM Experience the Museum in a calmer environment with dimmed lights, low or no audio, and a craft! No Registration Required, Standard Admission Rates Apply SENSORY SUNDAY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE NOW AVAILABLE! CONTACT US! Phone 503-325-2323, Text 503-741-7056, Email to Education@crmm.org All are welcome! Plan to join us for these 2023 Sensory Sunday dates: September 3, October 1, November 5, December 3 (no Sensory Sunday scheduled for July) |
ADMISSION ACCESS
Museums for All - General Admission Discount
As a participant in the Museums for All program, the Museum offers reduced admission for all visitors with an EBT or WIC card.
Bring your EBT or WIC card and matching I.D. to receive $3.00 admission tickets for up to 4 people from the same household.
Discount applies to Adult, Senior and Child general admission. Discount does not apply to 3D theater tickets.
Cardholder must be present at time of admission.
Blue Star Museums
Currently-serving military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserves, are free starting on Armed Forces Day in mid-May and ending on Labor Day in early September.
Museums for All - General Admission Discount
As a participant in the Museums for All program, the Museum offers reduced admission for all visitors with an EBT or WIC card.
Bring your EBT or WIC card and matching I.D. to receive $3.00 admission tickets for up to 4 people from the same household.
Discount applies to Adult, Senior and Child general admission. Discount does not apply to 3D theater tickets.
Cardholder must be present at time of admission.
Blue Star Museums
Currently-serving military personnel and their families, including National Guard and Reserves, are free starting on Armed Forces Day in mid-May and ending on Labor Day in early September.
PARKING, ENTRANCE & INSIDE THE MUSEUM
There are four (4) accessible parking spaces available outside the main Museum entrance. Visitors may be dropped off and picked up at the loading area in front of the main entrance. The barrier free entrance is located at the south Museum entry door.
There are four (4) accessible parking spaces available outside the main Museum entrance. Visitors may be dropped off and picked up at the loading area in front of the main entrance. The barrier free entrance is located at the south Museum entry door.
SERVICE ANIMAL POLICY
The Columbia River Maritime Museum is committed to welcoming a wide and diverse audience, including those assisted by trained service animals.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum complies with the Americans with Disabilities act (ADA), which defines service animals as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. The Columbia River Maritime Museum allows service dogs in all public areas of the Museum.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum does not allow Emotional Support Animals (ESA) inside the Museum. Emotional Support Animals, Comfort Animals, or Therapy Animals which provide comfort do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
The following questions will be asked of each guest with a service dog:
If the dog is out of control or not housebroken, the handler will be asked to remove the dog from the Museum.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum is committed to welcoming a wide and diverse audience, including those assisted by trained service animals.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum complies with the Americans with Disabilities act (ADA), which defines service animals as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person’s disability. The Columbia River Maritime Museum allows service dogs in all public areas of the Museum.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum does not allow Emotional Support Animals (ESA) inside the Museum. Emotional Support Animals, Comfort Animals, or Therapy Animals which provide comfort do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.
The following questions will be asked of each guest with a service dog:
- Is the service dog required because of a disability?
- What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
If the dog is out of control or not housebroken, the handler will be asked to remove the dog from the Museum.
MOBILITY DEVICES
A limited number of wheelchairs are available free of charge from the Admissions Desk on a first come, first serve basis.
All galleries and the 3D theater are wheelchair accessible. The Lightship Columbia is not wheelchair accessible.
Wheelchairs, including manual or electric single seat chairs and electric mobility seated scooters, and other manually operated mobility devices including walkers, crutches, canes, braces and other similar devices, are permitted in all public areas of the Museum.
No other type of manually operated or power-driven devices are permitted in the Museum, including but not limited to Segways, self-balancing two-wheel electric scooters or "hoverboards", wagons, tricycles and carts. These devices are not permitted due to the high volume of pedestrian traffic in the Museum, the size, type, weight, dimensions and speed of these devices, and the substantial risk of harm to Museum exhibits, other visitors and the user.
A limited number of wheelchairs are available free of charge from the Admissions Desk on a first come, first serve basis.
All galleries and the 3D theater are wheelchair accessible. The Lightship Columbia is not wheelchair accessible.
Wheelchairs, including manual or electric single seat chairs and electric mobility seated scooters, and other manually operated mobility devices including walkers, crutches, canes, braces and other similar devices, are permitted in all public areas of the Museum.
No other type of manually operated or power-driven devices are permitted in the Museum, including but not limited to Segways, self-balancing two-wheel electric scooters or "hoverboards", wagons, tricycles and carts. These devices are not permitted due to the high volume of pedestrian traffic in the Museum, the size, type, weight, dimensions and speed of these devices, and the substantial risk of harm to Museum exhibits, other visitors and the user.
EXHIBIT VIDEO SUBTITLES
Subtitles for video displays are now available in four of the Museum's galleries:
Carronade Video in U.S.S. Shark Gallery
"Mapping the Coast" Video in the Mapping/Navigation Gallery
Peacock Video in the Crossing the Bar Gallery
"The Great River of the West" in the Science of Storms Gallery
Subtitles for video displays are now available in four of the Museum's galleries:
Carronade Video in U.S.S. Shark Gallery
"Mapping the Coast" Video in the Mapping/Navigation Gallery
Peacock Video in the Crossing the Bar Gallery
"The Great River of the West" in the Science of Storms Gallery
MAGNIFIERS
Disposable handheld magnifiers, with 6x clear magnification, for use in the galleries are available upon request at the Admissions Desk. Visitors may keep the disposable magnifiers.
Disposable handheld magnifiers, with 6x clear magnification, for use in the galleries are available upon request at the Admissions Desk. Visitors may keep the disposable magnifiers.
INDIVIDUAL SELF-GUIDED AUDIO & TACTILE TOUR
Your tour will highlight a map of the Lower Columbia region, a torpedo from Astoria's World War II history, and a towboat's wheelhouse in the Brix Maritime Hall. A limited number of iPods and earbuds are available for free check-out using an I.D. at the Admissions Desk. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own earbuds if they wish.
Your tour will highlight a map of the Lower Columbia region, a torpedo from Astoria's World War II history, and a towboat's wheelhouse in the Brix Maritime Hall. A limited number of iPods and earbuds are available for free check-out using an I.D. at the Admissions Desk. Visitors are encouraged to bring their own earbuds if they wish.
VIRTUAL VERBAL DESCRIPTION TOUR
Columbia River Maritime Museum offers a virtual Verbal Description Tour for visitors who are looking for a more detailed description of the museum’s space. During this online presentation, we will introduce visitors to the museum and dive deep into the Coast Guard’s life-saving work on the coast with our exhibit, Coast Guard Rescue Missions.
Verbal Description Tours are available to all and can be particularly useful for those who are blind/low vision or have sensory sensitivities. Registration for this hour-long program is free.
Contact accessibility@crmm.org for more information
VISIT GUIDES
Our Sensory Map & Notes provides information on where, within the Museum exhibits, it tends to be quieter, louder, brighter or darker.
VISIT GUIDES
Our Sensory Map & Notes provides information on where, within the Museum exhibits, it tends to be quieter, louder, brighter or darker.
Our downloadable Social Story provides a printable guide that lets you create a preview of the Museum experience for guests who are more comfortable knowing what to expect.
A limited number of Sensory Backpacks are available for free check-out using an I.D. at the Admissions Desk.
A limited number of noise-reducing headphones are available for free check-out using an I.D. at the Admissions Desk.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT GALLERIES & EXHIBITS
VISIT THE MUSEUM - The busiest times of day are in the late morning/early afternoon, and when it is raining
Brix Maritime Hall
Audio
Coast Guard Rescue Missions
Audio
USS Shark and Fur Trade
Audio
Mapping the Coast
Audio
Shipwrecks!
Audio
Crossing the Bar
Audio
Science of Storms
Audio
Naval History
Audio
Columbia 3D Theater
Audio
Lightship Columbia
Audio
VISIT THE MUSEUM - The busiest times of day are in the late morning/early afternoon, and when it is raining
Brix Maritime Hall
Audio
- The Brix Maritime Hall is the biggest space in the museum. When the museum is busy, this can be a very noisy gallery. You may also hear noise coming from the Coast Guard Rescue Missions gallery nearby.
- There is a very high ceiling, big windows, and lots of natural light.
- There are audio phones around the gallery where you can hear the stories of fishermen and Coast Guardsmen who worked on the Columbia River.
- Walk inside our pilot house and see what the “control room” of a tugboat might look like.
- Learn how to tie your own knots outside the pilot house!
- You can look at and touch fishermen’s gear next to the knot tying station.
Coast Guard Rescue Missions
Audio
- This is one of the loudest galleries in the museum. When you walk into the gallery, you will hear loud voices and a simulation of a Coast Guard rescue at sea.
- This space is loud enough that you may actually hear it from the parking lot outside the museum.
- This space has a large window and lots of natural light.
- See if you qualify for the National Motor Lifeboat School in the “Can You Qualify?” interactive.
- Feel the materials used in a Coast Guard survival suit.
- Turn the dial of our radio to hear about Coast Guard rescue missions over the years.
USS Shark and Fur Trade
Audio
- There is a video in this space explaining how the USS Shark carronades operate. You may hear occasional cannon fire as you move through the gallery.
- This gallery is dimly lit and has muted colors.
- A staff member may be onsite with our interactive EDU Cart, where you can touch materials from the 1800s fur trade. However, they may not always be on site.
Mapping the Coast
Audio
- You will hear a video playing toward the back of the space about the early Pacific Northwest maps on display.
- Most of this space has low lighting. You will see the bright light of a lighthouse lens toward the back of the gallery.
- You can use a sextant to discover how sailors’ found their latitude and longitude in this gallery.
Shipwrecks!
Audio
- The entrance to this gallery has surround sound that mimics thunder, crashing waves and seabirds chirping. The rest of the gallery is quiet.
- The entrance to this gallery includes flashing light that mimic lightning. The rest of the exhibit has low lighting.
- Try your hand at 'The Captain's Dilemma' digital touchscreen to see how you would respond to these shipwreck disasters
Crossing the Bar
Audio
- While walking through this space, you will hear the sound of crashing waves, ships’ engines pulsing, and a narration about crossing the Columbia River Bar.
- This gallery has low lighting. There are large digital screens simulating crashing waves and a rocking boat.
Science of Storms
Audio
- This is a quieter space in the museum. You may hear noise coming from the galleries on either side, but when it is not busy this is a good space to come to for quiet time.
- This is a very low-lit gallery. There is one brightly-lit space where you can pretend to be a meteorologist! The rest of the area is dark except for several digital screens.
- The ship’s wheel at the front of this gallery is a great tactile opportunity!
- Give the day’s weather report as a meteorologist in Science of Storms.
- Discover how a FLIR (thermal imaging) camera works at the back of this exhibit.
Naval History
Audio
- One side of this gallery is louder than the other. An emotional video plays on one side of the space that may be loud for some visitors.
- This gallery has relatively dim lighting. You may see some natural light coming in from the Brix Maritime Hall nearby.
- In this gallery, you can touch and walk through the bridge of the USS Knapp.
Columbia 3D Theater
Audio
- The Columbia Theater can be a very loud space for some visitors. Headphones are available at the front desk for those who may feel overwhelmed by the noise.
- The theater is dimly lit before and after the movies play. Otherwise, it is very dark.
- Movies in the Columbia Theater are 3D and will require 3D glasses.
Lightship Columbia
Audio
- There are lots of ambient sounds onboard the lightship Columbia.
- You may hear water moving outside the lightship, creaking on the floor as you move around, and the echoes of other visitors moving through the space.
- The lightship can be dimly lit. There are many portholes offering natural light in the space.
- You can touch almost everything you see in the lightship Columbia! You will get to see the galley (kitchen), living quarters, and bunkbeds where sailors slept.
- You may feel the lightship rocking back and forth in the waves. You can go to the top deck if the motion is too much below deck.
- The lightship can have a strong smell, especially during the summertime. You can go to the top deck for fresh air!