Portland Puppet Museum

113 reviews

906 SE Umatilla St, Portland, OR 97202, United States

www.puppetmuseum.com

+15032337723

About

Portland Puppet Museum is a Art museum located at 906 SE Umatilla St, Portland, OR 97202, United States. It has received 113 reviews with an average rating of 4.8 stars.

Photos

Hours

Monday2-8p.m.
Tuesday2-8p.m.
Wednesday2-8p.m.
Thursday2-8p.m.
FridayClosed
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The address of Portland Puppet Museum: 906 SE Umatilla St, Portland, OR 97202, United States

  • Portland Puppet Museum has 4.8 stars from 113 reviews

  • Art museum

  • "Phenomenal artistry and fun in a "puppet sized" space"

    "What a treasure trove! I just took a workshop there with proprietor and master puppeteer Steve, who was endlessly patient and helpful"

    "Very neat"

    "Loved the museum, so many cute and cool puppets, and so much history"

    "I love this place! Marty and Steve are great, and super knowledgeable about the history of work puppetry"

Reviews

  • Michele Brouse Peoples

Phenomenal artistry and fun in a "puppet sized" space. The history and craftsmanship from 36" marionette kings and queens to soft and cute animal hand puppets. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and puppeteers willing to share their skill. It's free, but I am going back for a PG13 performance of The Mikado with puppet Pandas!

  • Sandy Miller

What a treasure trove! I just took a workshop there with proprietor and master puppeteer Steve, who was endlessly patient and helpful. The price was very reasonable and I came away with a pair of Day of the Dead marionettes.The museum is packed with puppets of all kinds and well worth a visit. Entry is free of charge! More

  • Kelly Jayne

Very neat. Extremely informative. Has lots to share about it and shows and puppet making classes. It was a small place and i had hoped to see more puppets and maybe more for sale. But they have information on puppet making and shows and are very sweet and willing to demostrate and talk about puppets in shop.

  • V

Loved the museum, so many cute and cool puppets, and so much history. The owner there is so sweet and knowledgeable. He has lots of great stories! Really great museum that me and my boyfriend enjoyed. Free but donations accepted. Definitely coming back for the next exhibit/redecoration. More

  • Geahk Burchill

I love this place! Marty and Steve are great, and super knowledgeable about the history of work puppetry. It’s a small space but that’s perfect for small theater and you get to get real close to the exhibits and see all the details. Steve will even perform some of the puppets if you ask.

  • mickey macner

Awesome museum to visit! It changes every few months and is free to see (though you can leave a donation ). My friend and I went in about an hour before close and the guy running it gave us an awesome tour of the museum, and was super knowledgeable. Highly recommend. More

  • Beth Buckley

Very fun place for those interested in puppetry! They have an area with puppets that children can play with. The museum is very small and can easily be viewed within 20 mins. The owner gave a belly dance show with an exquisitely made female puppet. More

  • Sarrah Duncan

if you're a creative, you'll love this place. It will feel like home to you. Steve and Marty are warm and welcoming, they own the museum. Their knowledge, expertise, and worldly experience will definitely have you intrigued, if not taking a class!

  • Kate Hubbard

What a magical place! A cool reminder that art is one of the two best ways to unite people, and to expand our minds. The 1800's building, the decadent puppets, and the two sweet owners - I fell in love. Going back for some unique holiday shopping.

  • Andria Garriott

AWESOME INCREDIBLE AMAZING OUTSTANDING THIS GUY MAKES AND PERFORMS WITH LARGER THEN LIFE PUPPETS AND EVEN MAKES MOVIES YOU CAN BUY IN THE GIFT SHOP GO THERE WHEN EVER YOU GET THE CHANCE I LOVE THE PUPPET MUSEUM I ALMOST WISH I COULD LIVE THERE

  • Jo Elsner

This place is run by an incredibly talented, kind and friendly man, builder/storyteller/educater/tour guide. Really been at his craft for a long time and tho small it's packed with beautiful art and stories and puppets children will love.

  • Christopher Weinberg

Could be so much better. Instead of just being an intimate window into one man's obsession. I appreciate the effort and time spent but please rewrite the script so it's age specific appropriate for children. The story was obtuse and the

  • Julie Baker

Very friendly owner. The puppet show is $10 and lasts an hour... we instead just came to walk around. The owner (master puppeteer) showed us his favorite puppets, a few video clips of puppets in action, and talked us through the current

  • Mike Meyer

OK….So, my review is a dual review. First and foremost the owner definitely knows puppets, or marionettes, and definitely has a wealth of knowledge and experience. However my main reason for our visit was to see the 45 minute Nutcracker

  • MeSha McClanahan

This is one of my favorite places to visit in Portland. My group had an amazing time talking to Steven, and you can tell he is passionate about his craft. We spent at least an hour here, and he walked us through the history of women in

  • Steve

What a great experience for all ages. I got to enjoy a story called Dracula revamped that included the thing from the Blue lagoon, Dracula, a werewolf and of course Frankenstein's monster. What a wonderful show! And awesome people! More

  • Terri Ellis

I think my friend and I spent over 2 hours talking and listening to Steven. Amazing puppets from all around the world. It was so great to have one on one with him. He's absolutely fascinating to listen to. He even explained where the

  • Brooke Whitten

It is a fun, educational place for everyone! Steve (the owner) will teach you about puppets and he makes the puppets, as well. And it's free, so there is no excuse for not checking out this gem!!! Have yourself some fun!!!!

  • crystal parker

It is really small but has lots of things to see. Steve is extremely knowledgeable about everything in the shop. He mad them dance to music and it was really neat. I'm not into puppets but this was an interesting find.

  • Georgia Bosse

What a delightful little museum of puppets from around the world. New puppets and old, including classic puppets from TV. Puppet Shows are scheduled frequently using many kinds of puppets, including marionettes.

  • Kyle Decker

Such unique experience, touring the puppet museum! The museum's hosts were very friendly and informative. If you find yourself in the Sellwood neighborhood, I'd recommend checking out this hidden gem! …

  • Lily L.

I absolutely loved this fun activity! Not only are there fabulous old puppets, but the staff us wonderful, and they allow you to play with some of the puppets aswell, with no fee, i will definetly be back.

  • Melissa Springstead

Wow is all I can say! This place is amazing. I am SO looking forward to seeing some of the shows they put on. Thank you for your time today. My daughter and I had a very nice time talking to you. More

  • Tim McNulty

This museum has a lot of history about the puppets being displayed. They also have shows in the garden. This is a must see. I enjoyed everything about this place. Have fun on your visit. Thank you!

  • V G

My girlfriend and I absolutely loved this place! The people who run it are incredibly sweet and funny. We had such a great time getting to know them and hearing the stories behind the puppets.

  • Myrah Rafiah Beverly

The museum curator, Steve, is a captivating and knowledgeable storyteller! the theme of the museum changed twice a year and they hold outdoor puppet shows! Truly a Portland hidden gem. More

  • David Lister

The museum is a magical place where imagination can soar. The owners are amazing. An easy place to spend a couple of hours listening to stories and being transported to other words.

  • Mike Rotch

This small little museum in the heart of the sellwood neighborhood is a fun place to go if you have got some spare time. The puppets are so cool and so are the puppet makers.

  • Alexander Bourns

Small but great. It features great puppets, great guide who is a puppetmaker and puppeteer. They also do shows and sell puppets. They also change the display every 4 months.

  • Joseph Lechuga

The Portland Puppet Museum caught my eye as I was riding past on my way to work. After a time, I made it a goal to visit, and it was definitely worth the trip.

  • Patrick Michael Howard

Wonderful place to visit. Marty and Steve are doing their best to meet all the demands of COVID and the City of Portland. Just stay tuned. More

  • Alycia Moore

Really cool place run by the sweetest guy. Love how in-depth this labor of love is, and seems like a great staple to the community.

  • David Maldonado (Maldi)

This museum and puppet store is AMAZING! Perfect for a few hours of creativity and performance. These are puppets to the extreme!

  • Charles Carter

Unique spot to visit. Small location with rotating displays. The curator will tell interesting stories behind the puppets. More

  • london novak

So cute and the guide simply lives his life and art! Worth checking out and learning when the next puppet show in town is! More

  • Christy Weigel

Visit the museum for free, but definitely purchase tickets to shows in advance because they sell out quickly and often! More

  • Kombilesa Ase

Great place to visit while in Portland. We learned a lot about puppets and got to enjoy the marvelous pieces in the museum.

  • Stacy Heatherington

Extraordinary that this magical and beautiful museum sits in one of Portland’s oldest neighborhoods, stunning! Bravo!

  • Blue Young

Magical contagious enthusiasm and wonderfully creative interpretations of classic tales. Our sons LOVE this place!

  • Jason Ropp (Dragon Theater)

Fantastic experience! Free admission. Great shows with low cost ticket prices. A Portland must see
Vi…
More

  • Kamala Pati

The owner was friendly and kind. He was able to entertain my grandkids and keep them attention. Recommend.

  • Lucky Girl

Very unique place and an unordinary author ! Shows and museum are super cool for kids and grown ups :)

  • Tim Heilig

Super nice guy running it. Small place. We got to learn quite a bit about puppets in the museum

  • Warren Swanson

The gentleman was wildly passionate about puppets, which made the entire experience

  • Maximilliane Merriweather

There are so many rich stories to enjoy here
Wait time
No wait

  • Elizabeth A. Zimmerman

One-of-a-kind museum. Fascinating trip for all ages

  • Paul Tate

It was amazing and I can't wait to go back

  • Beauty For Ashes

It's magical! Support the Puppetry Arts!

  • Whitney Watters

Wonderful owners in a beautiful space!

  • Erin Walker

Love, love, love. Visit and see why.

Similar places

Portland Art Museum

5370 reviews

1219 SW Park Ave, Portland, OR 97205

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University

31 reviews

1855 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201

Beyond Van Gogh Portland

17 reviews

Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97232

Douglas F. Cooley Memorial Art Gallery

7 reviews

3203 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland, OR 97202

King School Museum of Contemporary Art (KSMoCA)

3 reviews

4906 NE 6th Ave, Portland, OR 97211

NoNi

1 reviews

211 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214

Loverules

Portland, OR 97205