Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum

Cat

Unassuming Ilwaco is holding a tremendous amount of compelling history behind it's back that you can walk through and see in this amazing FREE historical museum. The whole of human inhabitation of the Americans starts here in the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum begins with a modest but instructive collection of artifacts typical of the people who explored and dominated the Americas for millennia. Next, a compressed turn-of-the-20th-century neighborhood is recreated in a delightful walk-through exhibit. Watch for dangerous school children! Just when you think this place couldn't be any more charming, it gives you geographically instructive model trains, a plush Edwardian vintage train car, and faithful dollhouse reproductions of lovely local Victorian homes. Add to that the smiling friendly docents, and it's enough to make you feel at home and happy. Please visit, and leave some cash in the donation jar.

weekendrailroader

Friendly staff, nicely put together exhibits. The 1/24 scale Shumaker Trains and the 3 foot gauge Pullman car "Nahcotta" were the highlights for me.

Jonathon Laws

Easily one of the best laid out museums in the entire state of Washington. The displays are very informative and easily help you to understand what life was like in the small towns that make up the Long Beach Peninsula. Great gift shop too!

Crystal Graziano Capizzi

Free on Thursdays. Staff knowledgeable and very friendly! Restrooms available. Eclectic exhibits. Currently being revamped but still worth a visit. The biggest hit was, of course, the working train sets (25 cents makes them go). Both 5yo and 2yo enjoyed it. Worth a stop if you have time.