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Tours

Group Tours

Guided tours at the Japanese American Museum of Oregon and the Japanese American Historical Plaza are designed to tell the story of people of Japanese descent (Nikkei) in Oregon before, during, and after World War II. Tour themes and activities are designed to connect with curriculum and Common Core Standards in the areas of language arts, social science, and American history. Inquiry-based tours at JAMO are thematic and are led by our trained volunteer docents.

Weaving through our permanent exhibit, this tour explores the story of Japanese Americans in Oregon, covering early immigration, the establishment of farms and communities, the abrupt and unjust incarceration during World War II, and finally as citizens playing vital roles in Oregon today. Visitors will learn about a specific time in history while exploring universal ideas such as community, identity, immigration, and civil rights.

The Plaza is an internationally recognized, award-winning public park located at the north end of Tom McCall Waterfront Park in Portland, along the Willamette River. Located a few blocks from the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Japanese American Historical Plaza is a memorial to Issei and to the 120,000 men, women, and children held against their will in camps during WWII. A guided tour of the Plaza will help visitors interpret historical events and provide an opportunity to reflect on the past.

In addition to docent guided tours, JAMO offers self-guided tours. If you prefer the self-guided option, please confirm availability in advance.

Pricing & Scheduling

The Japanese American Museum of Oregon has adopted a sliding scale fee model for school tours. 

About the Sliding Scale Fee Structure
The Japanese American Museum of Oregon believes that all students should have access to quality history education. By shifting to a sliding scale payment model for our school tours, we are removing potential barriers to our guided tours of the museum and the Japanese American Historical Plaza.

During the tour scheduling process, you’ll select a fee rate that works for your group. We welcome each school to pay at whatever level is feasible for you. 

If you’re able, we invite you to “pay it forward” and give back, leveraging your school’s access to abundance against the inequities that prevent other students from accessing the museum. This will help us cover the true cost of our programming for all students and ensure that we can continue this sliding scale model in future years.

Pay It Forward: $6-10 per student

Standard Rate: $5 per student

Pay What You Can: $0-4 per student

Teachers and adult chaperones are admitted free of charge.

$25 per docent needed plus:
$8 per adult
$6 per senior
$5 per student

To schedule your group for one of our programs, please fill out the Request Form two–four weeks in advance. If you have additional questions, you can contact the museum at info@jamo.org or 503-224-1458.