TILLAMOOK, Ore. – The Tillamook County Pioneer Museum is pleased to announce its newest temporary exhibit, “A Museum in the Making”, opening April 27, 2023, the 88th anniversary of the museum’s first exhibition for the public.
“A Museum in the Making” will remain on display through November. This exhibit is the first installment in the Museum’s Placemaking Series and highlights the history of the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum.
“Recently, the Museum has been having conversations about its past and how to move forward into the future,” said Peyton Tracy, TCPM’s executive director. “And we thought a good place to start would be acknowledging the passionate folks who built this museum from the ground up. Understanding the history of the museum helps us better understand where we are now and where we could go.”
“One of our goals is to engage the public in the museum curation and interpretation process more directly, and we hope to do so through this Placemaking Series,” said Jenny Teece, Exhibit and Program Developer at TCPM. “Placemaking is a collaborative effort to build deep, sustainable connections between people and the place where they are. What better way to begin that co-creation process than by starting in house?”
The exhibit covers the history of Tillamook County’s second courthouse, the building the Museum currently occupies, and the history of the group who started the Museum, The Tillamook County Pioneer Association. The exhibit focuses on how the Museum grew from just one space into all three stories of the 1905 courthouse, and the plethora of stories they chose to tell in their exhibits and collections.
“We’ve tried our best to provide an overview of the foundational history of the Museum’s creation,” Tracy said. “It’s been challenging to consolidate all these histories into one story flow. However, I think we’ve done just that with the support of our staff, volunteers, and community partners who bring a wealth of knowledge and life into the Museum.”
“This exhibit showcases the dedication Tillamook County citizens feel in preserving their history and highlights what makes the area special. We hope it will be a memorable experience for locals and visitors alike,” Teece said.
The grand opening for the exhibit will be April 27, 2023, 4:00-6:00 p.m., at the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum. Admission is free and refreshments will be provided. All items in the museum gifts shop will be 10% off.
Additionally, as part of the festivities for the new exhibit, the Museum will be hosting two afternoons of book signings with local historian and author, Jerry Sutherland, on Friday, April 28 and Saturday, April 29. He’ll be available to sign books and talk about his new publication, Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon. The book, available for purchase at TCPM, is a comprehensive history of the lost town of Bayocean, which is famous for “falling into the sea” after a series of calamities dramatically altered the coastline on which it sat. Mr. Sutherland conducted extensive research for the book in TCPM’s collections and archives.
“The gallery opening and book signings aim to be a celebration of our community’s history that the people that choose to be stewards of it,” said Tracy. “We hope to see you there!”
About the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum
Founded in 1935 by Tillamook Oregon pioneers, the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum offers 19 display areas that focus on the history of the North Oregon Coast. The museum’s mission is to preserve and interpret the Cultural Heritage of the North Oregon Coast and to foster appreciation and respect of the North Oregon Coast’s environment. The current collection includes 55,000 items and 20,000 photographs ranging from prehistoric specimens to modern-day.
The Tillamook County Pioneer Museum is open to the public Tuesday-Saturday, 10 am-4 pm. The research library can be used by the public by appointment only.
