World Forestry Center Review

If a tree falls in the middle of a forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? If there is any place on earth that would know the answer to that single question, it's this place.

We went with a field trip and lots of kids. It was ok for the older kids and more mature people. The younger kids lost interest. However for the forestry center its a really cool place. By far the favorite was the antique train. Its set up so you can climb up and explore the train. They also liked the elevator. If you are visiting the Portland area this is a neat place to spend the afternoon.

Nice enclosed space with cool things to look at. A big train just outside you can stand in, a large tree harvester you can sit in, a simulated atv ride (video screen), and other fun activities for littles to enjoy.

Many of the exhibits were closed. Not much for the preschooler to do. The parachute ride is gone. And the screen quality of the movies was horrible. Needs improvements BIG time. We brought kids from 16 to 3 and we were done with everything within one hour.

Fun museum with lots of opportunities for interactivity. I wish there was more of a giftshop! Heavy on videos, which are not the most effective way to convey information at a museum.

This place is fun the first and second time but after no renovation or updates for over a decade it is boring. I thought I'd give it another go since my zoo membership got my family in for free but with no special exhibit on and everything the same as before we left shortly after arrival.

Attended a wedding and reception here. Just beautiful! Will be back to see more if tnis beautiful area. The grounds look absolutely amazing! Well maintained and VERY clean.

A wonderful and memorable place for those who have interests within earth sciences, the environment & nature in general. I went here for two different field trips, and intended to go again asap (it's literally been over a decade since I last went now). I actually remember prior to them putting this center in up here, along with the Children's Museum. Both epic additions for sure. This is a great place for anyone & everyone to self-educate via all the exhibits and information they have there for all to interact with, engage with & read.

What a gem! My kids are under 5 and love this place! There is lots for them to do, it's a great price, and never as crowded as the children's museum or zoo. Would be great for older kids too, activities for all age levels.

Outstanding!. Cost of admission is about $7 for adults, free for toddlers <2. There is a cool forestry tree cutter simulator machine and game inside. There is a tone to learn about forestry, wood, wood materials, architecture and construction. There are also many interactive, closed-play, educational, activities. Sparking a kids imagination about forestry will require adult intervention, but the tools are there. Great place to bring kids, our 13mo old was into for sure, but older kids seemed to have fun too. Bathrooms have changing tables. Best of all aside from a tiny gift shop there is a sales feeling to the experience. Well worth the visit, will do again

Quite informative centre, however, definitely geared more towards school groups and school age than adults. Could do with a little upgrading but still very much worth a visit to spend a few hours in.

I am lucky enough to be invited to some amazing conferences and events at the Miller hall of the Forestry center. It's beautiful. Nestled in between the zoo and the Hoyt Arboretum, it has an amazing discovery center for all to enjoy. It sparks the imagination and creativity of any who enter. Plenty to see and do while parked only feet away! I highly suggest going once, twice, or dozens of times!!

Beautiful facility that is surprisingly interesting for both older children and adults because of hands-on exhibits. Younger children (under ~6?) might not understand the subject matter of many of the exhibits, but will still be entertained because of the hands-on nature.

The parking situation is completely out of control. We had no interest in using the shuttle because it was bitter cold and we were formally dressed. After circling and circling, we finally found an open spot in front of the zoo entrance. The spots are so narrow that we had to let the passengers out before parking. There was only about 10 inches between cars. We have no idea how the people next to us were able to get into their cars and leave. We have an older car so we were OK with our doors getting banged up. My advice: Use lightrail to save yourself many headaches.

I was hoping this was going to be about forest ecology and conservation but instead it was all propaganda for the logging industry in the form of educational exhibits geared towards children. For example: an arcade-game-like-simulator of a logging harvester machine (that was broken), a display equating timber plantations to old-growth forests, and an exhibit on the different types of forest management techniques such as clearcutting - a perfectly reasonable practice, if you are to believe the description in the exhibit. Finally, I knew the place had to be bank-rolled by the logging industry when I went upstairs and found a bougie library of maybe 100 or more multi-paragraph biographies of logging company CEOs. Listen, I'm not saying the timber industry is evil, it's not. But this building is presenting biased information on behalf of an industry that is at odds with the natural world - a world which is on the brink of a mass extinction
event due to human activities. And logging ranks pretty high up on that list of activities.

My son loves the outdoors and nature in general. So when we took him here, he loved all the different exhibits and things to learn about not only nature but how we as people interact both past and present.

I wouldn't say this place is for everyone. But those that really love want to get in depth with the land around us and how man works with the land and not against it, the Foresty Museum does a good job.

There is something here for both kids and adults. The parachuting simulator is pretty cool as you try and copy the precise jumping skills that forest workers have to make. Also, another cool simulator is the tree feller. You get to cut down a series of trees with the feller within a specific time frame.

There are discount days so be sure to check their website for up to date information.

Attended the Portland Tea Festival here. Great location. Great place.

An absolutely amazing facility with many hands on displays and interactive areas. Very informative and fun! Would highly recommend! Great for all ages.

So much to do in the area, children's museum, the zoo, Japanese garden, rose garden, the list goes on. Great views of the city and downtown.

Museum about forests and how people use them. Some exhibits are dated, but I thought the museum was good. I spent 2 hours here.

Came here for a funeral and it was lovely. I haven't been to the actual forestry center in a long time

Such a fun interactive museum. It was a great place for a wedding reception!

When I arrived in Portland, I selected this center as my first itinery. This center has a lot of things for children to enjoy.

We love the place. Very clean , well spaced. We came to volunteer for the Tea Festival. Lots of fun. Of course the parking is quite a challenge. It is locared in the Zoo so 2 in 1. If bringing the family plus events. Great venue for big events. Family friendly mini hikes.

Annual mycological society meeting. Got some awesome information and a mushroom log. Would be nice to have a bike rack.

This was a lovely and peaceful center reserved for a memorial service.

Fascinating displays of the wonder of trees! The cross-sections of petrified wood were beautiful abstracts created by Mother Nature. True works of art.
Trying to jump as a firefighter was challenging and fun. Brought home how difficult it is, and how courageous our fire jumpers are.
My one complaint - there is a lift to see what is like to go to the treetops. I was saving the best for last, but it CLOSES at 4pm, 1 hour before the museum closes. That should be told to customers. All other hands-on parts are open till museum closing.
I HIGHLY recommend this for anyone. Educational, informative and fun. Just what a learning experience should be

A deli without milkshakes, desserts, or sound proofing...

Great exhibits. It's perfect for younger kids with lots of hands on things.

Small museum about forestry and some cultural information. Interactive exhibits, but mostly video presentations. Inexpensive: $7 adults & $5 kids. There is senior pricing and free for tiny tots.

Located just across from Oregon Zoo this is a place for learning about nature preservation

The forestry center has fun exhibits and if beautifully crafted. A must visit for families.

Awesome new exhibit on mass timber and cross laminated building products for a sustainable future.

Great meeting & event space! Happy hour in museum is the best!

Installations are quite dates but very good info on forestry in OR. Definitely swing through the Hoyt Arboretum on your way out!

It was a neat way to spend a couple of hours. We also learned some cool facts and a little history about Forestry.

Beautiful museum. Somewhat small but has a decent amount of info. Good for kids, will take less than two hours.

Nicely done. Could emphasize forest ecology a bit more. Good explanation of forestry practices. Overall, a nice blend.

Educational displays focused on Pacific Northwest forestry, ecology and wildlife

This is a fantastic educational resource for children and families ! As an adult I found it a bit dull, only because I didn t realize it s geared towards children. The museum is a broad overview of forestry, with great emphasis on types of forests around the world, the basic structure of a forest, and a history of the logging industry in Oregon. There is also a big emphasis on sustainability in logging which is great. Lots of interactive exhibits that kids will find exciting, and lots of illustrative exhibits. I d say kids from 6 to 12 would probably enjoy this place most. I would pair this museum with a walk in the arboretum for some for a hands-on experience! Take the MAX, it s steps away from the Washington Park station!

Not a whole lot to do, but what's there is neat and the young ones enjoy their time there

Wonderful exhibits, a great way to learn about the world's forests.

Really nice building, but the exhibits are lacking. We took a handful of our kids from daycare here and there just wasn't enough to do. Its too bad because there's so much potential here. But the kids loved how the place looked.

Loved this place...... just excellent for kids and adults... Affordable and parking I think was cheaper to the left than right of area... could spend 3 hrs here. But we spent closer to 2.

One of the most different museums I've been to. There is a lot of interactive things to do with the family.

One of the best places to explore Oregon's nature. Near the zoo and a must see! I highly recommend a visit and for those that embrace mother nature; I think you will leave with a smile! Children will love this place!!!

A great family experience to learn the importance of the world's forrest.

Had fun with my girls her ,I would go again loved it rite by the zoo to

The manager here, Morgan, does such an incredibly good job!

It was a good time! There are many interactive exhibits.

Cool place to visit in Portland area
Wish you didn't have to pay tho

Really enjoyed this museum, and how interactive it was. The grounds around it are great enough for a walk as well, if you happen to be out of towners as well.
My partner and I especially liked the animal prints and the facts about how they affected their environment.
I also loved that they focused throughout of different cultures and their forestry, and you can "visit" Africa, China, Russia, and the Amazon through different play areas.

Great for all ages! We are 28, have no kids, and had a blast.

A great place but sometimes hard to get a parking spot in the summer because of the zoo next door, limited parking

Neat place. Forestry/logging simulation was worn out and not working correctly so that was a disappointment. Enjoyed it more than I had though. Good information and a learning opportunity. Doesn't look like exhibits change much so after you've seen it once ......

This is very educational. Went here back in the '70's, and took my daughters here when they were young. For anyone who wants to give an educational place a low rating, don't bother. It just means that your a gamer and can't enjoy the finer things in life.

A cool place if you like museums and forests! The front desk people were very nice. It's small but there is a lot of interesting and hands on stuff packed in. It was a great, un-crowded option for us to take our 9 month old.

Hours are incorrect. "Winter hours" may leave you paying for parking with nothing to see.

Under-rated Portland museum. I take young grandkids here, one at a time, because there are relatively few visitors so you can have a quiet adventure with a lot of talk and play. The exhibits are quite good, actually, and there is enough physical stuff to please the youngest children (trains, logging equipment, 4WDs, animal puppets, river raft, outdoor waterfall...)

This place is SO underrated! My daughters love coming here and I am humbled everytime. Plus zero crowd compared to the Zoo which is in same parking lot.

Our daughter celebrated her wedding in Wilson Hall. It was a very nice venue

It was nice but I felt like the displays were a little outdated

Very interesting and interactive museum. It's fun for children. Could stay and be entertained 2-3 hours.

An excellent place to learn about forests, history and see some really spectacular slices of petrified wood. Also nice for our International Society of Arboriculture Tree Academy on tree risk assessment.

This place is amazing, it is easy to forget because it is next to the Zoo and Children's Museum.