Portland-area museums offer free admission and tours for teachers during Oregon Educator Free Weeks

Published 6:12 pm Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Nine Portland-area museums are opening their doors to local teachers and administrators for free during Oregon Educator Free Weeks.

The free weeks are a collaboration between the local museums so that teachers can take time during the summer — before back-to-school planning starts — to see educational possibilities at the different organizations.

The free weeks run from July 31 through Aug. 13.

“This is really when they’re starting to plan their courses for the year,” said Hana Layson, Portland Art Museum’s head of youth and educator programs. “When they get back to the classrooms, they can decide how to integrate the museums into their teaching; this gives them the lead time to prepare and feel like they’re inspired and prepared to bring museum learning into the classrooms.”

The participating museums in this year’s free weeks are Portland Art Museum, Five Oaks Museum, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Museum of the Oregon Territory, Portland Chinatown Museum, Oregon Historical Society, Pittock Mansion and Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.

“This is an opportunity for them to meet all of us in our department and get a sense of all the resources and programs that we offer. Basics, like K-12 tours, are free and the resources that we have are available to all educators in Oregon and Washington. I know there are some exhibits that educators are excited to visit, like (Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio),” said Layson. “Educators are welcome to come whenever the museums are open, or to any of the tours.”

Layson also said that if instructors don’t have their official credentials or just recently became a teacher, they should still visit the museums for the educator free weeks. All they need to do is mention their role in education to the staff at the museum they are visiting.

Each museum is hosting tours and events for educators during the first two weeks of August.

Portland Art Museum

1219 SW Park Avenue, Portland

Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM.

Five Oaks Museum

Portland Community College Rock Creek Campus

17677 NW Springville Road, Portland

Hours: Thursday – Saturday, 12pm – 4pm; Starting June 29

Five Oaks Museum Educator Tour and Resources Share:

Friday, August 11, 10:30 – 11:30am

Japanese American Museum of Oregon

411 NW Flanders Street, Portland

Hours: Friday–Sunday, 11am–3pm; Tuesday–Thursday by appointment

Japanese American Museum of Oregon Educator Tours:

Thursday, August 3, 10:30-11:30am

Thursday, August 10, 10:30-11:30am

Museum of the Oregon Territory

211 Tumwater Drive, Oregon City

Hours: Friday – Saturday, 10:30am – 4 p.m.

Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education

724 NW Davis Street, Portland

Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11am–4pm

Holocaust and Oregon Jewish Stories Tour and Reception:

Wednesday, August 2, 1 – 2:30pm

Civil and Human Rights In Oregon and Abroad Tour and Reception:

Thursday, August 10, 1 – 2:30pm

Oregon Historical Society

1200 SW Park Avenue, Portland

Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10am–5pm; Sunday, 12pm–5pm

Oregon Historical Society Educator Tours and Overview of Educator Resources:

Monday, July 31, 1 – 2:30pm

Wednesday, August 9, 10 -11:30am

Portland Chinatown Museum

127 NW Third Avenue, Portland

Hours: Friday–Sunday, 11am–3pm

Portland Chinatown Museum Educator Tour:

Friday, August 4, 12-1 p.m.

Pittock Mansion

3229 NW Pittock Drive, Portland

Hours: Tuesday, 12pm–5pm; Wednesday–Monday, 10am–5pm

Pittock Mansion Educator Tours:

Tuesday, August 8 from 10 – 11am

More information available at https://portlandartmuseum.org/event/educator-welcome-and-tour/