Orca sightings are on the rise at the Oregon coast, but while the killer whales may not swim all the way up to Portland, they will be making an appearance at OMSI this summer.
“Orcas: Our Shared Future” is the latest exhibition to take over the halls of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, set to “make a splash” starting May 13, 2023, the Portland museum announced Tuesday.
Produced by the Royal BC Museum in partnership with MuseumsPartner, the exhibition features more than 100 artifacts and specimens, as well as life-size orca replicas, fossils, films and contributions from the Indigenous communities of the Northwest coast. The exhibit aims to give visitors a deeper understanding of the apex predator, from scientific, cultural and spiritual points of view.
“Orcas are complex social beings with a culture and language of their own,” Royal BC Museum CEO Alicia Dubois said in a news release. “This exhibition explores the science behind orcas’ complex emotional lives and provides an indelible reminder of the similarities between orcas and humans, challenging us to think of our responsibilities as a part of nature, not apart from nature.”
OMSI will be the first in the U.S. to feature the exhibition, according to the museum, where it will be on display until Jan. 28, 2024.
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“Orcas: Our Shared Future” will feature more than 100 artifacts and specimens, as well as life-size orca replicas, fossils, films.
Life-size orca replicas give visitors a sense of scale at “Orcas: Our Shared Future” which will debut at OMSI in 2023.
“Orcas: Our Shared Future” features contributions from the Indigenous communities of the Northwest coast.
Orcas have long held an outsized presence in the Pacific Northwest. In the 20th century, the animals went from a fisherman’s nuisance to an aquarium attraction, spurning a lucrative live capture market that nearly decimated local population.
Backlash led to the wind-down of orca programs at places like Sea World, and efforts have since turned toward rehabilitation – in particular for the Southern Residents that live around the Puget Sound. Those orcas have not bounced back following the live-capture era, facing a number of mounting struggles including food contaminants, vessel traffic and the dwindling populations of Chinook salmon, their favored food. Recent studies have shown that inbreeding is furthering endangering the population.
Meanwhile, the neighboring Northern Resident orcas are rebounding well, while transient orcas, which eat marine mammals and travel throughout the region, are thriving, moving into the Puget Sound to feast on the booming sea lion populations.
With political battles ongoing and orca drama still fresh, it seems like the perfect time to highlight the captivating animals at OMSI.
“Orcas: Our Shared Future” opens Saturday, May 13, 2023, and runs through Jan. 28, 2024. The exhibition is included in the price of admission. Admission is $18 for adults, $13 for kids and $15 for seniors; buy tickets online at omsi.edu. OMSI is at 1945 S.E. Water Ave. in Portland. 503-797-4000.
— Jamie Hale
503-294-4077; jhale@oregonian.com; @HaleJamesB
