Marion County, Oregon - Mount Angel Abbey Museum

We recently saw the Mount Angel Abbey Museum get honorable mention on a list of the 20 best museums in Oregon: https://www.oregonlive.com/travel/index.ssf/2018/03/the_20_best_museums_in_oregon.html

We were surprised because not only had we never been to it, but we had never even heard of it. We had to check it out.

Once we found it, we have to admit it is an impressive collection. The fairly small space contains many more items than you would expect.

It started with biology specimens and scientific drawings.

That made me think about how the Jesuits were early scientists. The Mount Angel community consists of Benedictine monks, but Gregor Mendel was an Augustinian, and it can work.

Then I started seeing more crafts and artifacts from other cultures, and I started thinking about missionary work, colonization, and enslavement of indigenous peoples.

As it is, this museum appears to contain more donated collections than any collections specifically associated with the community of the abbey. This includes a remarkably large taxidermy collection. It's like a mini Field museum.

Not that it's not possible to feel some qualms about all the dead animals.

It is still pretty impressive.

Some of the tableaux are quite vivid.

It is overall a very impressive collection if you can find it.

Just for the record, finding it took two tries.

While there is visitor information on line, and visitors are not discouraged, directions can be confusing.

If you can find the right downward path, there is a small sign that says museum, and then it says museum on the door, but finding the path is the issue.

Part of this is the removal from parking. There is a stairway, and an elevator that was closed during construction. At the top of that there is a large quad, and everything else stands out more than the entrance to the museum, because it is of the least importance for the community, even if that is the reason you are there. There is also kind of a view.

The main thing is don't try and avoid the staircase thinking there must be better access. There isn't unless the elevator is running, but that uses the same parking lot and takes you to basically the same place.

https://www.mountangelabbey.org/museum/