Cultural Attractions
As you walk throughout the building your tour guide will share information on the history of the State Capitol, Oregon and the Legislative process. This tour is recommended for fourth grade and older and is available during regular building hours.
This 87-foot sternwheeler is a Salem icon. Take a scenic tour over Sunday brunch, or charter the ship for a party or wedding.
The seven buildings that comprise the Mission Mill Museum represent one of Oregon’s earliest and strongest industries: wool. The museum also covers the Methodist missionaries who helped shape Salem; the past, present, and future of water power; and local Native American tribes.
Bush House was built by Asahel Bush II, a prominent figure in Salem and Oregonian history who founded the Statesman Journal, raised prizewinning cattle, and was, at the time of his death, the richest man in the state. Many of the family’s original decorations and belongings have been incorporated into the house, making a tour of this beautiful house feel like a trip back in time.
Visit this collection of 20 specialty gardens featuring rare and unique plants, located in Silverton. Its 80 acres also contain an amphitheater and Gordon House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Oregon.
Tour this beautifully-preserved Victorian home and its formal English gardens, located near downtown Salem. Come again for afternoon tea and special exhibits about Victorian fashion, flower arranging, historic preservation, and more.
Salem’s beautiful theatre was built in 1926 in the stunning Tudor Gothic style. After years of decline, the Elsinore was doomed to be demolished in the 1980s, only to be saved by a local campaign and the support of stars like James Earl Jones and Gregory Peck. The theatre was completely restored in the early 2000s and reopened to the public in 2004. Today patrons can enjoy plays and musical performances, plus a weekly classic movie series and special events.
Pentacle Theatre was founded in 1954 in a barn on Highway 22. Thanks to its dedicated community base, the theatre has prospered and today puts on eight plays a year, with the majority of the work done by volunteers. Want to act, sell tickets, build a set, or just watch the show? There’s a role for you at Pentacle Theatre!
When a local artist and builder wanted some family fun near Salem, he built it himself. Enchanted Forest transports visitors to the Old Europe, the Wild West, and fairy tales, combining fantasy with high-tech ride technology for all-ages fun.
A. C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village
Recently voted Salem’s “Best Place to Take the Kids,” this hands-on museum encourages learning through playing. Children can explore a giant model of a cell, an archaeological dig, a giant Erector Set with slides, and a global village featuring homes from around the world – and that’s just the outside! Inside, learn about the regions of Oregon, different cultures, undersea creatures, and lots more!
Catch a second-run movie and enjoy dinner at this Salem establishment. Movie tickets cost only three bucks!
This museum, located on the Willamette University campus, is the second-largest art museum in Oregon. See art and cultural artifacts from around the world, plus annual exhibits by WU’s senior art majors.
Keizer Heritage Community Center & Museum
The Keizer Heritage Foundation is located in the Old Keizer School, the only historic public building in the town. The museum houses artifacts related to the school and the wagon trains that brought settlers to the area.
This museum offers exhibits on the history of farming in the Independence/Monmouth area, especially hops. It also covers the history of Hispanic farmers in the area and the Oregon Trail wagon trains.