Depoe Bay: Whales, Sea Life, and Sharks Museum

As you walk to the entrance of the Whales, Sea Life, and Sharks Museum in Depoe Bay, your path is marked by whale cut outs. Their markings represent actual whales that return to the area annually.

On the museum's page you learn that the cutouts were drawn by owner Carrie Newell, cut out by her father, and painted by her daughter. This may give a good sense of how local and personal the museum is.

The museum holds the results of decades of collecting specimens.

Through a combination of specimens, taxidermy, art, models, and occasional plush, an idea is given of the profusion of local sea life, how this life fits in to the larger ocean, and even relative sizes.

It celebrates the richness of sea life in a cozy, approachable way, and with a fair amount of humor.

There were a lot of sharks.

Note how some photos are framed like portholes, and then porthole windows below may have something more than a picture behind.

The building is not large, especially in relation to the size of the collection, but you can see interesting uses made of the space, like this example of the relative size of whale tails.

There is a lot to see, making the $5 admission ($3 for children 3 - 12) a bargain.

The museum is also the starting point for the whale watching tours led by Newell. A group was watching a video in preparation for their departure, and as museum visitors we were welcome to watch as well.

As appreciators of Oregon, and of life, we enjoyed the displays at the museum.

Admittedly, some had more of a cute factor.

Accessibility: There was a ramp where needed, and the surfaces were flat. Some of the passages may have been a bit narrow, but it seemed navigable.

I also appreciated this stool for young visitors. There are all kinds of needs.

COVID: This was literally the only place we went that day where the staff was wearing masks. We were grateful for that.

https://www.oregonwhales.com/museum/