When you’re living in or visiting Medford, OR one of the best ways to learn more about the area is by heading over to any of its various museums. You can explore the geological history of the Pacific Northwest, hear stories about Southern Oregon’s prominent figures, or introduce your children to the world of science. Here are a few of the best museums within a short distance away!
1. Crater Rock Museum
This museum is located at 2002 Scenic Avenue and seeks to educate the public about earth sciences. It showcases several collections of minerals, fossils, and petrified wood. The highlights of their Fossil Room are the fossilized fish from the Green River Formation, which featured three lake-dotted basins in what is now the Mountain West. Many specimens are tens of millions of years old and are well-preserved within a large fossil slab.
Crater Rock is also home to beautiful collections of glass artwork and scrimshaw.
2. Beekman House
If you want to get an idea of 19th-century affluence in Oregon, you’ll want to visit the Gothic Revival-style Beekman House, which sits at 452 E. California Street in Jacksonville. This site was once the charming home of Cornelius C. Beekman, a wealthy banker and gold freighter, and his family. It’s now a museum house where its knowledgeable guides dress in period costumes and provide tours of its rooms.
During the tour, guests can view the home’s well-preserved furnishings and numerous family artifacts.
3. The Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon
Thanks to the impressively spacious cabin of the Chevrolet Suburban, you can take the kids to this exciting, fun-filled children’s museum on 413 W. Main Street. Kids can experiment with miniature dams and channels in the Water Lab or create their own music at the Sound Lab. As Southern Oregon is renowned for its innovative medical community, the museum hosts the Safe+Sound Medical Center, where children can role-play as doctors and nurses.
4. Phoenix Historical Society Museum
Neighboring Phoenix has its own share of rich history, and this institution does a fine job of researching and preserving it. The result of the Phoenix Historical Society’s work is the museum’s vast collection of historical photographs, articles, and artifacts that chronicle the area’s history from the 1850s to contemporary times. Also featured are a 19th-century jail and a horse-drawn spray rig which was once used in the orchards of Phoenix.
You’ll find the Phoenix Historical Society Museum at 607 N. Church Street.
Wherever your curiosities lie, they’re sure to be satisfied after visiting any of these excellent museums! Need a new ride to get you and your family from place to place? Visit Airport Chevrolet GMC today and check out our huge inventory of new and pre-owned vehicles!
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