Willamette Heritage Center

Willamette Heritage Center Serene 5-acre site connecting generations with historic museum exhibits, shopping, restaurant, and event rental venues. 📍Salem, OR
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The Willamette Heritage Center is a non-profit museum located in Salem, Oregon. Formed from the merger of two established historical organizations (the Mission Mill Museum and the Marion County Historical Society) the WHC collects, cares for, interprets, showcases, and promotes understanding of an education about the history of the Mid-Willamette Valley region, including Marion County and the grea

ter Salem area. It is anchored by the historic early settlement buildings dating to the 1840s, the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill and its archival and library holdings.

The ability to have meaningful conversations across differences is part of what challenges us to grow as individuals and...
09/09/2026

The ability to have meaningful conversations across differences is part of what challenges us to grow as individuals and as a community. But what about the topics that tend to cause division?

Join us at the Willamette Heritage Center for Conversations 250, a FREE event and the final installment of our 2026 Speaker Series.

Attend one or all three sessions for reflective dialogue where we will explore values, the meaning of community, and how embracing our differences can enrich the place we call home.

🗓️ Saturday, October 17
🕥 10:30am–12pm
🕥 1pm–2:30pm
🕥 3:30pm–5pm
📍 WHC Dye House
🎟️ FREE with RSVP
RSVP here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/conversations

Funded in part by Oregon Humanities’ Beyond 250 Project.

09/07/2026

🎶 One last summer night at the Mill! ☀️
Don’t miss WHC’s final Music at the Mill of the year as we welcome Phoenix to the stage! Come enjoy great music, good company, and a night at the Mill you won’t want to miss.

🎟️ Back-to-school special: Get 50% off tickets when you purchase online! Grab your tickets, gather your friends, and make the most of these last summer evenings.
https://www.willametteheritage.org/music-at-the-mill/

Lively at the Mill will have food and drinks available for purchase throughout the evening, so come ready to settle in and enjoy the show!

Let’s send summer out in style! 🌅🎵

09/05/2026

🎬 Lights, camera, action… TEXTILEZZZ IS LIVE! 🛏️✨
Our newest changing exhibit, Textilezzz: The Fabric of Sleep, is officially open at the Willamette Heritage Center!
Come explore the fascinating history of the fabrics we sleep with. 🧵🧶
With crisp fall weather on the horizon, it’s the perfect time of year for museum visits.

Stop by and experience the exhibit anytime during regular museum operating hours. We’ll see you there! 🍂💤

Learn more here: https://www.willametteheritage.org/textilezzz/

Ready to head back to school? ✏️🍎Keep this year's curriculum interesting... With a variety of field trip experiences, ou...
09/04/2026

Ready to head back to school? ✏️🍎
Keep this year's curriculum interesting...

With a variety of field trip experiences, our education department is passionate about enriching the lives of students with guided

To explore our field trip options, follow this link:
https://www.willametteheritage.org/field_trips/

*Our programming was designed using 2024 Oregon Educational Content Standards.

Then and Now 3530 Liberty Road S.If you look close enough you can see the same building is standing, but it has seen a l...
09/03/2026

Then and Now 3530 Liberty Road S.

If you look close enough you can see the same building is standing, but it has seen a lot of renovations! In 1956, it was being used by the Salem Heights Baptist Church. It has seen several uses over the years. Which do you remember?

Then Photo: July 26, 1956. McEwan Photo Studio. WHC Collections 2006.002.1370.001

Now Photo: June 2025. GoogleMaps

We've got something for everyone this fall including live music, new exhibit openings, a free luncheon, and Conversation...
09/01/2026

We've got something for everyone this fall including live music, new exhibit openings, a free luncheon, and Conversations 250—an exciting FREE community event designed to bring people together, spark meaningful dialogue, and find common ground around the topics that can divide us.

Whether you’re here to listen, learn, discover, or simply spend time together, there’s always a reason to gather at WHC.

📅 Check out what’s coming up and make plans to join us!
https://www.willametteheritage.org/calendars/

🎶 PHOENIX IS COMING TO THE MILL! 🌞Round out the summer with Music at the Mill on Tuesday, September 8 at 6pm with Phoeni...
08/31/2026

🎶 PHOENIX IS COMING TO THE MILL! 🌞

Round out the summer with Music at the Mill on Tuesday, September 8 at 6pm with Phoenix Duo , a folk/Americana duo bringing laid-back rhythms, beautiful harmonies, and plenty of heart to the mill.

Enjoy an evening of live music, dinner and drinks from Lively at the Mill, and the unique atmosphere of one of Salem’s favorite historic places.

🎟️ Online tickets are HALF OFF! Get yours for just $5 online or $10 at the door.
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/summer-music-series

Come listen, relax, and soak up one more summer evening at the mill.

08/31/2026

ASMR of the WHC grounds during summer. Have you visited recently? Whether you're stopping by for a self-guided tour, stocking up on yarn for your next knitting project, grabbing lunch at Lively, or just taking in the scenery, the WHC has everything you need for a low-key day around Salem.

08/29/2026

Have you ever roped a bed?!

In earlier days, “roping a bed” meant using ropes or cords as the support for a mattress, rather than having a solid wooden or metal bed frame beneath it, or springs - which came later.

At our upcoming exhibit, Textilezzz: The Fabric of Sleep, you can explore the lesser-known knowledge surrounding the heritage of how we sleep.

Join us September 4th - December 31st (the cozy months) for a self-guided museum tour and check out the latest exhibit.

Want to go a little deeper? A guided curator tour will be offered October 16th at 10am for a chance to learn and ask questions along the way.

Check our events calendar for more information: https://www.willametteheritage.org/calendars/

08/28/2026

🌞 ONE LAST SUMMER NIGHT AT THE MILL! 🎶

We’re sending summer off with one last night of Music at the Mill, Tuesday, September 8, at 6pm — and we’re making it extra easy to join us. 💃

🎟️ Get HALF OFF tickets when you purchase online ahead of time!�That’s just $5 online (or $10 at the door).

Come enjoy live music, good vibes, yummy food from Lively at the Mill, and a summer evening at your favorite historic venue.

Grab your $5 tickets online and meet us at the mill!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/summer-music-series

Address

1313 Mill Street SE, Ste 200
Salem, OR
97301

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

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