Celebrate Portland—and Oregon’s Japanese Americans—on new Google Arts & Culture Page Google Arts & Culture is placing the spotlight on Portland with a new page dedicated to what makes the city great—its rich and diverse cultural landscape of arts, culinary, and natural offerings. The Japanese American Museum of Oregon is featured on this page, along with 16 local partners, showcasing the sites, stories, and arts of Portland. Through 75+ captivating stories, anyone anywhere can immerse themselves in Oregon’s enduring Indigenous and Asian roots, learn about the city’s award-winning cuis ..read more

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Lynn Fuchigami Parks Recognized for Outstanding Leadership We must remember and share those stories of struggle and resilience so our country and world are not defined by hate and its darkest moments. Museums have that power—to uplift, educate, and inspire people to seek the truth, to give hope and wonder for a better future. -Lynn Fuchigami Parks Lorie Millward, WMA President; Lynn Fuchigami Parks; Judy Margles; and Jason Jones, Executive Director, WMA. Two long-time leaders of Portland museums were recognized for the significant impact they have made on both their institutions and the loc ..read more

Beatrice Stevens, Ally at Home By Marie Hashimoto Photo courtesy of Urban League of Portland Records, 1945-2008 (MSS UrbanLeague), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon. In conjunction with the August 13th dedication of the Oregon Nisei Veterans WWII Memorial Highway, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon and the History Museum of Hood River County created the exhibition A Long Road to Travel: The Service of Japanese Americans During World War II. This installation profiled examples of both discrimination and white allyship. One such sto ..read more

Updated April 2023: ACTION ALERT! Deadline Extended Submit comments to the BLM by April 20 The Bureau of Land Management is accepting comments on their Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Lava Ridge Wind Project. Information about what to write is included in the resources section below. You can submit your comments online here. Please email a copy to info@minidoka.org. Resources When you are ready to submit your comments, here are some concerns about the Draft Environmental Impact Statement that you could write about: Fails to adequately protect the significance of the land surround ..read more

What’s next for the Portland Expo Center? Originally published August 2022; updated October 15, 2022. The Portland Expo Center, a site of great significance to a number of different communities, will be undergoing some major changes in the coming years. As the name implies, the site currently functions as an event and convention venue, but Metro, the agency that owns and manages the Expo Center, is looking at ways to change the function of the 53-acre property into something that better serves the people of the Portland Metro area. They have determined that the cost and resources required to m ..read more

A look back at the history of Obon in Portland, Oregon Obon is a Japanese and Japanese American Buddhist summertime festival for celebrating one’s ancestors with Bon Odori (dances), lanterns, and food offerings at temples or Butsudan (home altars). This tradition continues to this day at various sites in Portland. For example, all are welcome to join in the celebration at the Oregon Buddhist Temple on the first Saturday of August.  Look through these photos to get a sense of what Obon Fest was like in Portland from the late 1940s into the 1970s. The first set of images from mid-20th centu ..read more

JAMO Joins Central PDX Cultural Partners April 2022 Within easy access of downtown, Portland has a rich array of intimate cultural and historical institutions. The Central PDX Cultural Partners invite you to explore the Architectural Heritage Center, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, and Portland Chinatown Museum. Become a member at any of the partner institutions and receive a Central PDX Cultural Pass for four to visit all five partners. Join the Japanese American Museum of Oregon as a member here to get al ..read more

In the library: Day of Remembrance Mini Exhibit February 2022 February 19 is the Japanese American Day of Remembrance, a time to reflect on the impact of the incarceration of Japanese Americans in the United States during WWII. Starting in February 2022, there will be a special Day of Remembrance mini exhibit at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon that focuses on life at the Portland Detention Center and history of the remembrance events. As always, our permanent exhibition also has many items related to Executive Order 9066, the Detention Center, and the concentration camps where Japanese ..read more

New Free Admission Programs at JAMO December 28, 2023 There is great news for those looking for free ways to learn about Oregon’s history and the culture of Japanese Americans in Oregon! Starting in January 2024, Free First Sundays launch at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, with free admission and family-friendly programs scheduled every month. The museum has also joined Museums for All, a program that provides free admissions for up to 4 people when you show your SNAP food benefits card at the admission desk. Both initiatives are part of the museum’s efforts to ensure Oregon’s Japan ..read more