Discover Grant County, Oregon
Welcome to Historic Canyon City, Oregon. Our museum explores the lives and livelihoods of Eastern Oregon pioneers.
We are currently Closed for the Winter. We will reopen April 29, 2025!
Research and Tours are still available when scheduled in advance. Please send us an email to book.
OPEN
May-September
Tuesday-Saturday
10am-4pm
Research at the Museum
We are more than just a local history museum! With over 7,000 photographs and over 3,000 paper documents, we have a huge archive available for research. In addition, we have a collection of historic books relating to Oregon and Grant County history.
While our archives are extensive, please keep in mind that we only have what is donated to us. We may have extensive information about one family, and hardly anything on another, even if they both arrived in Grant County at the same time.
Research Resources
✓ Ephemera Archives
✓ Photo Archives
✓ Research Library
What our visitors say
“Best museum I have seen in quite some time! Thoroughly enjoyed my visit!”
“This place rocks!”
“Good artifacts, great history and great presentation!”
“The finest museum we’ve ever been to.”
“A wonderful feeling of nostalgia – not only connects one to the history of our country, but also me to my past and memories.”
“Outstanding! This is our second visit and I’m sure we still have not seen everything.”
“My teenage granddaughter didn’t want to leave!”
Frequently Asked Questions
I want to visit when the Museum is closed.
If we are closed for the winter when you are traveling through, please give us a call or send us an email. We can most likely open for you if we are not doing any renovations.
I have a research request.
We love to help with research! The quickest way to see the research materials at GCHM is to visit in person. Our staff can pull related materials for you to look through. Email research requests often take more time.
Where is Canyon City?
We are located just 1.5 miles south on HWY 395 from John Day, OR. If you are approaching from the south, you will enter Canyon City before John Day.
Do you have public bathrooms?
We have two bathrooms open to museum patrons. There are public bathrooms nearby on Washington Street.
Do you have a gift store?
We do! Our gift store includes history books, vintage candy, gold and silver samples, gold mining supplies, maps, gold and gem guides, and much more!
How long does it take to tour the museum?
The museum has a lot more to see than it appears. We have four rooms packed full of items on display. A quick visit may take 45 minutes. If you want to read every sign, it may take closer to 4 hours.
Looking for more information about local attractions?
Want more of Grant County? Visit our Chamber of Commerce!