Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The first thing you notice inside the museum is a map. Covering a large space on the wall, it shows the mouth of the Columbia River (which rolls by, just outside) and is dotted with dozens of little markers like tombstones – each one a shipwreck in the "Graveyard of the Pacific."



This legacy of loss lies at the heart of the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria, a monument to the struggles and successes of those who chose to spend their lives in one of the most dangerous places on the Pacific coast.



Past the map is the entrance into a brightly lit hall full of sailboats manned by mannequins, bearded and decked out in bib overalls, their faces screwed up in concentration. Floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto the Columbia River itself where real people still work on freighters, lifeboats and fishing vessels that motor by.



The museum was founded in 1962 to preserve that maritime heritage of the region. It's home to the largest collection of Pacific Northwest maritime artifacts, spread through long, interconnected exhibit halls over nearly 45,000 square feet of space, running through the history of mankind's relationship with the river and ocean.



The exhibits are set up in roughly chronological order. You can start with the nod to Native American cultures – an unfortunately fleeting recognition, made in favor of a maritime history that began when white settlers industrialized the region – then walk through exhibits that display a wide and fascinating variety of artifacts from the last two centuries.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Inside the main exhibit hall at the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An antique diving suit, displayed with a hand-powered air pump.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mannequins portray the fishermen who have made a living at the mouth of the Columbia River.

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There are wooden rowboats, glass floats, fishing equipment and a lighthouse lens. An antique diving suit stands in one corner, not far from an illuminated sign that reads "ROUGH BAR." One colorful display shows dozens of labels from cans of Columbia salmon, illustrating both the staggering number of fish that once swam through these waters, and the number of businesses that took advantage of that abundance.



But for all the maps, wreckage, artifacts and harrowing tales, perhaps the most striking display is showcased in front of a bank of windows at the front of the museum. There, tipped nearly vertical on a surging wave, is a U.S. Coast Guard lifeboat, seemingly moments away from rolling over, its mannequin crew tossing a life ring to a man in the water.



It's a fictional scene, but you can't help but wonder: Does the man in the water survive? Does the crew? Will the boat make it out in one piece?

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A display shows a U.S. Coast Guard ship making a rescue on rough seas.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Mannequins re-enact a rescue attempt at the mouth of the Columbia River.

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Adding to the drama is the fact that the lifeboat on display, the CG-4300, is a real lifeboat that spent 35 years of service with the U.S. Coast guard, completing thousands of missions and surviving many misadventures until its retirement in 1996. The dramatic scene portrayed in the museum might not be so dramatic after all, but part of the everyday reality at the mouth of the Columbia River.



That danger, the raw elemental power of the place, is as alluring as it is alarming. That so many people threw themselves into the Graveyard of the Pacific – to make a living or else in search of personal glory – seems both brave and foolhardy. The Columbia River Maritime Museum is a temple to their efforts, to those people who lived and died by the sea.



The Columbia River Maritime Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and $5 for kids. The museum is found at 1792 Marine Drive in Astoria. You can find more information online at crmm.org or by calling 503-325-2323.



--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB



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SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Inside the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Vintage canned salmon labels are on display, showcasing a once-robust industry in Astoria.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A glass float on display alongside various other floats at the museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A map shows the many shipwrecks at the mouth of the Columbia River, nicknamed the "Graveyard of the Pacific."

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The United States Lightship Columbia is docked outside the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Inside the main exhibit hall of the museum, with windows looking out on the Columbia River.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An old log of storm warnings from 1948, on display alongside other historic artifacts.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An ivory letter opener, carved by Alaskan natives out of Walrus tusk, displayed in a case of artifacts.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

An exhibit showcases the life and work of Rolf Klep, founder of the Columbia River Maritime Museum.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A section of wrecked keel from the HMS Raccoon is on display at the museum. The British ship entered the Columbia River during the War of 1812, and was the only ship to enter the river for military action.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

The United States Lightship Columbia is docked outside the Columbia River Maritime Museum in Astoria.

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