Category: Special tours and events

We’re Preparing for an Exciting New Visitor Experience

Posted on by bhmsalem in Special tours and events, Uncategorized

September 30, 2026

We know many of you are excited to see the next chapter of Bush House Museum—and we are too!

The restoration of the Servants’ Quarters is nearing completion, and we can’t wait to share this newly restored space with you. This important addition will offer a closer look at the lives, work, and stories of the people whose contributions helped shape life at Bush House and in the Salem community.

Thank you for your patience and enthusiasm as we bring this new chapter of Bush House history to life. Stay tuned for the announcement of the opening date—we look forward to welcoming you inside soon!

June 30, 2026

Beginning immediately, guided tours and specialty tours at Bush House Museum are temporarily suspended until further notice as we prepare for the opening of the restored Servants’ Quarters this fall.

This temporary closure allows us to safely complete restoration work in the historic home while protecting our visitors, volunteers, and staff. During this time, crews are repainting the space using historically appropriate colors and reclaiming original flooring to create an authentic interpretation of this important area of the museum.

A New Chapter of Bush House History

The restoration of the Servants’ Quarters will introduce visitors to a fascinating and often overlooked part of life at Bush House. Through thoughtfully recreated spaces and historic artifacts, the new exhibit will explore the daily lives of the women and men whose work supported the Bush household at the turn of the twentieth century.

When the exhibit opens this fall, visitors will discover:

  • A recreated servant’s bedroom
  • Historic tools, utensils, and household equipment used in daily work
  • Stories of the individuals whose labor kept the household running
  • Insights into the lives of domestic workers and their connections to the Salem community

This new experience offers a richer, more complete understanding of the people whose contributions were essential to the Bush family and to Salem’s history.

We appreciate your patience as we complete this exciting restoration project. We look forward to welcoming you back early September to explore the newly restored Servants’ Quarters and experience a new perspective on Bush House Museum.

HERITAGE TALK – ELIZABETH MEHREN

Posted on by bhmsalem in Current shows in our new America Waldo Bogle Gallery, Events, Special tours and events

Sunday, November 15, 2026 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Come to hear stories of the lives of immigrants to Oregon from around the world and the important item they brought with them.  

I Lived to Tell the World presents thirteen inspiring profiles of men and women who have endured unthinkable cruelty, only to resume productive lives in their new homes in Oregon. They come from Rwanda, Myanmar, Bosnia, Syria, and more—different stories, different conflicts, but similar paths through loss and violence to a new, not always easy, life in the United States.

The in-depth profiles are drawn from hours of interviews and oral histories. Journalist Elizabeth Mehren worked collaboratively with the survivors to honor the complexity of their experiences and to ensure that the stories are told with, and not just about, them. Mehren also weaves in historical, cultural, and political context alongside these personal stories of resilience.

About the presenter:

Elizabeth Mehren is a Portland-based writer, editor and educator. After working at The Washington Post, she became a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times. Mehren, who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UC-Berkeley, spent a decade on the faculty at Boston University. She has earned several prestigious fellowships, and has written for national magazines, appeared on television and radio and received awards for teaching and journalism. “I Lived To Tell the World,” her fifth book, was selected in 2025 as the adult title for the Oregon Center for the Book.

This talk is capped at 25 guests, so please be sure to register to hold your spot! 

Register


In order to plan for our talk, please register by Friday, November 13 at 4pm; we will close the registration page after that time and we can not accommodate walk-ups for this talk.

The general public ticket price is $20; $18 for SAA-members, and $10 for students.
Our ticket fees directly support the work we are doing at Bush House Museum. Please consider adding an additional donation in support.

*At the Salem Art Association, we prioritize inclusivity. To ensure that our arts and culture events remain accessible to all, we have set aside a limited number of free tickets. Please reach out to laura@salemart.org if you would like a promo code to waive the admission fee.

See the exhibit The Immigrant Story: I Lived to Tell the World in the America Waldo Bogle Gallery at the Bush House Museum September 24, 2026 -January 4, 2027 by Photographer Jim Lommasson.

THE IMMIGRANT STORY: I LIVED TO TELL THE WORLD | JIM LOMMASSON

THE IMMIGRANT STORY: I LIVED TO TELL THE WORLD | JIM LOMMASSON

Posted on by bhmsalem in Current shows in our new America Waldo Bogle Gallery, Special tours and events

SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 -December 19, 2026 | AMERICA WALDO BOGLE GALLERY

Photographs from Jim Lommasson. His work focuses on photographs and objects of immigrants and objects they were able to bring with them on their perilous Journeys.

Website: http://www.lommassonpictures.com/ 

Video interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ2q_Tcs9mo