Mariners Hall
Columbia River Maritime Museum
The Columbia River Maritime Museum offers a unique combination of experiences, where an extensive collection of seafaring vessels, maritime artifacts, and fine art come to life through exciting and informative exhibits, demonstrations, and hands-on activities. The new Mariners Hall building will further enhance this unique blend by creating an interactive visitor experience, aimed at attracting and educating the public through interactive exhibits, large-scale displays, and education programs centered around the rich maritime history of the Columbia River.
Size: 24,500 SF
Location: Astoria, OR
Exhibit Consultant: Storyline Studio
With over 24 vessels, a suspended US Coast Guard helicopter, the Bulkhead—a 200-foot-long, two-level “spine element” showcasing hundreds of maritime artifacts, and the Boatworks—an all-ages STEAM learning lab, the 24,500 sf Mariners Hall promises an immersive educational experience. Serving over 15,000 regional school students annually and hosting numerous public educational programs, it will be a hub for Pacific Northwest maritime education and exploration.
Inside the museum, visitors will encounter a spacious 40-foot-high atrium, offering views of the vessels against the backdrop of expansive 20-foot-high windows overlooking the Columbia River. A curving ramp along the Bulkhead exhibit will enable visitors to view the boats from various angles while ensuring accessibility throughout the museum. Additional spaces include a gift shop and a small immersive video theater, inviting visitors to explore the human connection to water in an engaging and memorable way.
The building’s design showcases a dramatic curved mass timber roof, echoing the ribbed construction of wooden boats and providing a visual contrast to the original museum’s iconic curved massing. Collaborating with StructureCraft structural engineers, the complex curved form is meticulously designed using advanced BIM modeling and algorithms to optimize member sizes, shapes, and spatial requirements for the vessels.
