Astoria · Columbia River waterfront · Maritime museum and lightship
Columbia River Maritime Museum
Oregon’s official maritime museum on the Astoria riverfront, with Coast Guard rescue boats and the Lightship Columbia on one ticket.
Opens the museum’s visit page with hours and admission. Tickets are sold at the Admissions Desk when you arrive, and the Lightship Columbia is included.
Details checked October 2026
Type
Maritime museum
Plus the Lightship Columbia and a 3D theater
Admission
$18 adults
Seniors 65+ $15, ages 6–17 $8, 5 and under free
Hours
Daily 9:30–5
Lightship 11–3 · Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day
Time needed
2–3 hours
Tripadvisor’s suggested duration
Parking
Free lot
Vehicles over 15 ft use Oversized Parking areas
Lightship length
128 ft
Floating lighthouse at the river mouth, 1951–1979
What you’ll see
Where the river meets the Pacific
Galleries, real rescue boats and a retired floating lighthouse tell the story of the Columbia River Bar and the people who work it.
Photo: Chris Light on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Start here
Climb aboard the Lightship Columbia
From 1951 to 1979 this 128-foot ship worked as a floating lighthouse marking the mouth of the Columbia River. Now a National Historic Landmark moored beside the museum, it lets you walk through the spaces where sailors cooked, ate, slept and worked. Check in at the Admissions Desk first; boarding runs daily 11 am–3 pm.
RV tip: Arrive by late morning so you can board the lightship before it closes at 3 pm. Engine room tours run 20 minutes, take 12 people at a time and are first come, first served.
More to see
- Coast Guard motor lifeboatsThe galleries hold U.S. Coast Guard motor lifeboats, including a 44-footer and a 36-footer, the kind of boats crews have used for rescues on the rough water where the Columbia meets the Pacific.
- Graveyard of the PacificExhibits explain why the Columbia River Bar earned the name “Graveyard of the Pacific,” with shipwreck history and the work of the bar pilots, including the pilot boat Peacock.
- 3D theater filmsTwo 3D films alternate through the day: ARCTIC: Our Frozen Planet on the hour from 10 am and Aircraft Carrier: Guardian of the Seas on the half hour from 10:30. Each film is $5 per person.
- Model boat pond and woodshopAdmission also covers the Warnock Model Boat Pond and the Sam Johnson Woodworking Shop, and on Fridays gallery docents are on hand from 10:30 am to noon.
Why go
Why this museum belongs on your Astoria day
The Columbia River Maritime Museum Association was founded in 1962 by Rolf Klep and a group of naval veterans and fishing-industry leaders. The museum opened in 1963 in Astoria’s old city hall and moved to its waterfront building on Marine Drive in 1982. It is the official maritime museum of the State of Oregon and holds a large collection of Pacific Northwest maritime artifacts.
The museum is right on Marine Drive in Astoria, with parking entrances at 17th, 18th and 20th streets and complimentary visitor parking. Leave the rig at camp and drive in with the tow vehicle, or, if you’re longer than 15 feet, plan to use the museum’s designated Oversized Parking areas. Overnight parking isn’t allowed.
It’s open every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, which makes it a solid pick for a stormy coast day. Fall 2026 is a good time to visit: the new Mariners Hall is set to open to the public on November 20, 2026.
Photo: Tedder on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Why it made our list
- Official maritime museum of the State of Oregon
- Lightship Columbia included with admission
- Open daily, a reliable rainy-day plan
- Free on-site parking with oversized areas
- New Mariners Hall opening November 2026
For RVers
Taking the rig to the Maritime Museum
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Use the oversized parking
The museum’s campus parking is free for visitors, but its rules say vehicles over 15 feet must use the designated Oversized Parking areas. Most motorhomes and trucks with trailers qualify, so plan on those spaces or, easier still, unhook at camp and come in with the tow vehicle or car. Lots are for visitors only while you’re at the museum.
Getting in off Marine Drive
The museum sits on the riverfront at 1792 Marine Drive. Parking entrances are at 17th, 18th and 20th streets. If you’re coming from the east, the museum suggests the 20th Street entrance to the Peacock lot, then a short walk along the Riverwalk to the main entrance.
Pets stay home
Only trained service dogs are allowed in public areas. Emotional support, comfort and therapy animals aren’t permitted inside. If you’re traveling with pets, leave them at camp rather than in a parked vehicle, and budget two to three hours for your visit.
No overnight, time the lightship
Overnight parking isn’t allowed in museum lots, and improperly parked vehicles may be impounded at the owner’s expense. The museum opens at 9:30 am, but the Lightship Columbia only boards from 11 am to 3 pm, so call ahead for day-of availability.
What visitors say about Columbia River Maritime Museum
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 29, 2026.
the official Maritime Museum of the State of Oregon
Columbia River Maritime Museum, describing itself · crmm.org
What visitors often mention
Recurring themes in Tripadvisor’s review mentions
Coast GuardLightship ColumbiaColumbia Bar
Themes come from the popular mentions Tripadvisor shows on the museum’s page (for example “coast guard,” “light ship” and “columbia bar”). Tripadvisor doesn’t show counts for them.
What it costs
Prices from the museum’s visit page, checked October 29, 2026. Children 5 and under, active-duty military and members get in free.
Good to know
FreeAges 5 and under, military, members
Museum admission$18 adults $15 seniors, $8 ages 6–17
Extras$5 3D films, or lightship only
Discounts$3 SNAP/WIC, up to 4 people
Prices and hours come from crmm.org’s visit page, checked October 29, 2026. Admission is paid at the Admissions Desk; confirm before you go, as campus construction is ongoing.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Columbia River Maritime Museum
- Address1792 Marine Dr, Astoria, OR 97103
- HoursDaily 9:30–5
Lightship 11–3 · Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day - Phone(503) 325-2323
- AdmissionPay at the Admissions Desk on arrival – see current prices
- Getting thereFrom US-101 in Astoria, follow Marine Drive along the Columbia River waterfront to 1792 Marine Drive, between 17th and 20th streets.
- ParkingFree visitor parking with entrances at 17th, 18th and 20th streets. Vehicles over 15 feet use designated Oversized Parking areas; no overnight parking.
Check crmm.org or call (503) 325-2323 before you go for current hours, lightship availability and construction updates.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Columbia River Maritime Museum
The KOA near Fort Stevens is the only North Coast park we have written up so far, and it is an easy drive. The other two are farther south, for when you work your way down US-101.
Astoria / Warrenton / Seaside KOA Resort
Big full-hookup resort next to Fort Stevens State Park, with pools, a lodge and pull-thru sites for long rigs.
Sea & Sand RV Park
Terraced oceanfront full-hookup sites on a bluff above the beach near Depoe Bay.
Darlings Marina & RV Resort
Lakefront sites on Siltcoos Lake south of Florence, with a marina, boat rentals and a smokehouse.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Daily 9:30 am–5 pm
Ready to board the Lightship Columbia?
Check today’s hours and admission on the museum’s site, then head down Marine Drive to the Astoria riverfront.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos: Chris Light (fishing gallery; CC BY-SA 4.0), Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives (Lightship Columbia; CC BY 4.0), Hiart (diesel engine; CC0), Chris Light (gallery boats; CC BY-SA 4.0), Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives (trolley; CC BY 4.0) and Tedder (waterfront; CC BY-SA 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons; the images were resized. Video: Central Oregon Daily News on YouTube (museum feature). Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Columbia River Maritime Museum unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including published materials from Columbia River Maritime Museum and other publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly at crmm.org or (503) 325-2323. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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