BCHS was formed in 1951 with the goal of preserving and sharing our local history. In the late 1970s the Philomath College Building was saved and restored by a group of local citizens. We opened our Philomath Museum in that building in 1980, and operate it to this day. In 2008 after years of negotiation and preparation we acquired the collection of the Horner Museum from OSU, and built the Johnson Collections Center to store it in. In 2021 we opened the Corvallis Museum.
We offer temporary and permanent exhibitions showcasing history and local art, a museum store in both museums, and a plethora of events and programs (depending on COVID, please check our website for updates or follow us on Facebook).