Umpqua Discovery Center


This excellent discovery center has exhibits geared to all ages, covering the cultural and geological history of the tidewater area. There are lots of video elements, and you can walk through a series of ecosystems in different seasons.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Umpqua River Lighthouse

5.92 MILES

About 4 miles south of town you can tour the 1894 Umpqua River Lighthouse; the lighthouse's museum (200yd away) is free. Opposite is a whale-watching…

2. Siuslaw Pioneer Museum

18.21 MILES

Located in a 1905 schoolhouse, this museum displays exceptional farming, fishing and logging artifacts, along with pioneer items and Native American…

3. Darlingtonia State Natural Site

23.47 MILES

Three miles north of downtown Florence on US 101 is Darlingtonia State Natural Site, where a short boardwalk overlooks a surreal bog of insect-eating…

4. Coos Historical & Maritime Museum

23.48 MILES

In gigantic and fancy new digs on Coos Bay's waterfront, this museum displays exhibits from Native American culture to maritime shipwrecks, plus mining,…

5. Coos Art Museum

24.09 MILES

The Coos Art Museum, in a historic art deco building, provides a hub for the region's art culture. Rotating exhibits from the museum's permanent…

6. Charleston Marine Life Center

27.44 MILES

This fantastic new little museum/aquarium has lots of interactive displays plus views out over the harbor. Touch a whale on a screen to hear its song, pet…

7. Sea Lion Caves

28.82 MILES

Fifteen miles south of Yachats is an enormous sea grotto that's home to hundreds of Steller sea lions. An elevator descends 208ft to a dark interpretive…

8. Sunset Bay State Park

29.29 MILES

Three miles southwest of town on Cape Arago Hwy, this state park is nestled in a small, protected bay that once served as a safe harbor for fishing boats,…