OUR MISSION The Mission of the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum is to inspire appreciation and stewardship of the Columbia River Gorge and Wasco County through collection, preservation, and interpretation of cultural and natural history resources. OUR FACILITY The building is a 48,200 sq. ft. facility, which won an American Institute of Architects Honor Award for its appealing design. The museum is family-friendly and wheelchair accessible. The Center is situated on a 54-acre point of land adjacent to the Columbia River and the Historic Columbia River Highway. The site provides walking trails, a pond, and scenic overlooks. Its location on the east end of the Columbia River Gorge is an ecosystem transition zone, facilitating the interpretation of both the rain forest west of the Cascade Mountains and the arid region to the east. PRESERVING, PROTECTING & INTERPRETING HISTORY Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, located at 5000 Discovery Drive in The Dalles, Oregon, is the official National Interpretive Center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The area includes one of the oldest continuously occupied areas in North America (over 11,000 years), immediate proximity to one of the largest rivers on the continent, and access to the Lewis and Clark and Oregon Trails.