Columbia River Maritime Museum

Our Mission

The Columbia River Maritime Museum was founded in 1962 when Rolf Klep, a native Astorian, returned to his birthplace after retiring from a successful career as a graphic artist on the East Coast. On his return, Klep – a longtime collector of maritime artifacts – and a group of his colleagues sought to establish a museum to preserve the rich maritime heritage of the entire Columbia River region. They envisioned a museum of national distinction.

Today, the Columbia River Maritime Museum’s reputation for the quality of its exhibits and the scope of its collections makes it one of the finest maritime museums in the nation. It was the first museum in Oregon to meet national accreditation standards and has been designated the official state maritime museum of Oregon.