Washington Park, the “crown jewel of Portland,” has many facets. Within the bounds of this 410-acre space, visitors can meet exotic animals, tour the country’s longest-running rose test garden, and learn about the silent sentinels bearing witness to it all — trees.
At the World Forestry Center Discovery Museum, two floors of interactive exhibits demonstrate the science behind trees and forests, the importance of protecting them, and the connections between trees and people.
On the ground level, a segment of trunk from a tree estimated to have sprouted in 1323 is on display, lending fresh perspective to the meaning of longevity, while an enormous tractor demonstrates advances in the modern logging industry.
Upstairs, exhibits explain ties between trees and world cultures. The museum’s new exhibit — “Tree People” — recently opened, portraying the forest-based customs and sacred beliefs practiced by people in rural Finland, Estonia, and East Karelia through photographs and stories.
