Step back in time at this original late-19th-century farmstead and art gallery to discover Oregon’s pioneering history and the legacy of one of its founding families.
The Bush House Museum honors the legacy of one of Oregon’s most prominent pioneering families. Visit the Bush family’s original farmstead home to find an immaculate 20th-century time capsule and art center in the heart of Salem. See the Bush family’s impeccably preserved home, including a huge collection of original furnishings and decorations, and a magnificent collection of Californian landscape paintings from the period.
Visit the sprawling 100-acre (40-hectare) Bush’s Pasture Park to discover Bush’s House Museum, the Bush Barn Art Center, the Salem Art Association and the site for the annual Salem Art Fair & Festival. Find a stately Italianate farmhouse filled with the Bush family’s furnishings, decorations and artifacts. Wander through the homestead to see Oregon’s pioneering history come to life through the personal stories of the founding editor of the Oregon Statesman newspaper, Asahel Bush. Take a guided tour to learn about the family’s fascinating heritage and to interact with the different exhibits. Admire an extensive collection of landscape paintings by celebrated Californian painter Frank L. Heath.
Enjoy a memorable weekend of art, music and regional food at the Salem Art Fair & Festival, hosted by Bush’s Pasture Park in the middle of summer. In late August, attend the Bush Family Farm Day, an exciting farm adventure for families and kids of all ages. The Salem Art Association regularly hosts lectures and workshops as a part of its Community Arts Education program.
Stop by the Bush Barn Art Center to pick up a souvenir or browse the center’s exhibitions of contemporary regional art and fine crafts.
The Bush House Museum is located on Bush’s Pasture Park, 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) from Salem’s downtown area. Nearby, find Historic Deepwood Estate and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. Bush House Museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from March until December. Local bus transport serves the area and free parking is available on-site. Admission fees cover entry to the museum but the Bush Barn Art Center can be enjoyed for free.
