VERDICT: We gave 5 out of 5 tickets and here’s why!
This guide forms part of our complete USA Travel Guide, featuring scenic road trips, iconic destinations, practical travel advice and honest first-hand travel experiences from across the United States.
This article is part of our 🚗 5-Day Pacific Northwest USA Road Trip series, exploring Washington and Oregon. Beginning at the Sumas border crossing in British Columbia, our 1,397-kilometre adventure takes us through historic coastal towns, spectacular beaches, iconic cities and one of America’s most famous volcanoes.. Read the complete itinerary here.
Day 1: Historic Bridges, Sea Lions & Astoria’s Waterfront ✅
Day 2: Haystack Rock, Puffins & Oregon’s Most Beautiful Beach ✅
Day 3: Shipwrecks, Cheese & Portland’s Weird Side ✅
Day 4: Volcanoes, Forests & The Mountain That Changed America ✅
Day 5: Small-Town Charm, Ferries & The Journey Home ✅
Shipwrecks, Coast Guard rescues and maritime history brought to life
Before leaving Astoria and continuing our road trip to Cannon Beach, there was one attraction everyone had told us not to miss, the Columbia River Maritime Museum. From our hotel it was only a short walk along the beautiful Riverwalk, so after breakfast we headed over expecting to spend about an hour exploring.
Within minutes we realized we’d made a big mistake. This wasn’t just another local museum. It was one of the finest museums we’d ever visited.
Every exhibit was beautifully presented, interactive and packed with fascinating stories. We could easily have spent another two hours exploring the incredible collection. If you’re visiting Astoria, allow at least 2–3 hours, you’ll be glad you did.
Inside One of America’s Best Maritime Museums
The Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria is one of the top maritime museums in the U.S. + the official state maritime museum for Oregon.
It sits right on the waterfront about 10 miles southeast of where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. We walked from our hotel along the waterfront & it took about 6 minutes to get there.
The museum opened in 1963 and moved to its current waterfront building in 1982. It holds the largest collection of maritime artifacts in the Pacific Northwest, more than 22,000 pieces, plus a 20,000-volume research library and 35,000+ photographs. We couldn’t believe how cool it was.
Six galleries cover everything from Native canoe traditions & fur trade schooners to commercial fishing, shipbuilding, and the U.S. Coast Guard. You’ll see the infamous “Graveyard of the Pacific” map showing shipwrecks at the Columbia Bar, a dramatic Coast Guard rescue video, and hands-on exhibits on navigation & weather.
The standout is the Lightship Columbia, a National Historic Landmark you can actually board. It’s moored outside so visitors can walk through the crew quarters, galley, and bridge.
People often say climbing into the tight living spaces gives you a real sense of what it was like to ride out 40-foot waves at the river’s mouth.
There’s also the real Coast Guard rescue boat CG-44300 on display inside. It’s truly an excellent day trip and we’d wished we had more time to spend there.
You really should plan on 2-3 hours to see it all. The hours are 9am – 5pm daily (adult admission $18 and seniors $15). The museum is wheelchair-accessible, has free parking, a 3D theater, model boat pond, store, and the Barbey Maritime Center.
Would you believe it draws about 100,000 visitors a year?! It’s ranked #1 of 20 museums in Astoria on Tripadvisor.
If you’re walking the Riverwalk, it’s an easy stop between downtown and Pier 39. There are also plenty of shopping & dining opportunities nearby + don’t miss the Nordic Heritage Park(& the trolls!) right next door.
Top 10 Things Not to Miss
- The Graveyard of the Pacific Exhibit: Discover why more than 2,000 ships have been lost at the Columbia River Bar.
- Lightship Columbia (National Historic Landmark): Walk aboard this fully preserved floating lighthouse and explore the bridge, crew quarters and engine spaces.
- Coast Guard Rescue Boat CG-44300: One of the museum’s most impressive displays showcasing daring rescue missions.
- Interactive Columbia River Bar Display: Learn why this is considered one of the world’s most dangerous river entrances.
- Orientation Film: The Great River of the West: A fascinating introduction featuring Columbia River Bar Pilots navigating enormous cargo ships.
- USS Astoria Exhibit: Discover the story of the famous wartime cruiser named after the city and the brave sailors who served aboard her.
- Bridge from USS Knapp (DD-653): Step onto the preserved bridge of a World War II destroyer and experience life at sea.
- Sai-shou Maru: See the Japanese fishing boat swept across the Pacific following the devastating 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
- Peter Iredale Shipwreck Artifacts: View authentic artifacts and learn the remarkable story of one of Oregon’s most famous shipwrecks before visiting the wreck itself.
- Indigenous, Commercial Fishing & Coast Guard Galleries: Explore thousands of years of Pacific Northwest maritime history through outstanding exhibits covering Native traditions, fishing fleets, navigation, weather, shipbuilding and lifesaving operations.
Visitor Tip
Allow: 2–3 hours
Address: 1792 Marine Drive, Astoria, Oregon
Hours: Daily, 9:00 am–5:00 pm
Parking: Free
Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible
Facilities: 3D theatre, gift shop, Barbey Maritime Center, model boat pond and outdoor exhibits.
This wasn’t simply the best attraction we visited in Astoria, it ranks among the finest specialty museums we’ve experienced anywhere in the world. If your itinerary only allows time for one paid attraction in Astoria, make it the Columbia River Maritime Museum.
Nearby Attractions:
Plan Your Next Trip
- Commodore Hotel (Astoria)
- Hotels
- Rental Cars
- Tours
- Travel Insurance
- e-Sim ( best for online access)
- Packing Lists
With every trip, we offer feedback to travel companies along with honest views for you, the reader. We rate adventures on a scale of one to five tickets, judged on quality, service, memorability, and price. A perfect ‘Ticket Rating’ of a five-ticket score means the experience was flawless and we’d eagerly return. Your desire to go back is the ultimate measure of a trip’s worth. Exclusive to My Return Ticket.
