If I were ever to write a gritty crime novel, I would set it in the Montavilla Neighborhood. Not because it’s scary, but because it’s very eccentric and very Portland. There are old classic houses proudly flying pride flags next to dilapidated crumbling homes with sheets for curtains. There are old apartment buildings that could easily be the setting for an intriguing crime novel where drug dealers, sex workers, flat broke college students (and an alcoholic P.I.) cohabitate together. Like a dirtier, sexier Tales of The City.

Not every museum is a showcase for grandiose works of art, or priceless artifacts. In fact, if you want to transition an item from mundane to extraordinary you only need to showcase it with some lights and a written history, and… POOF! You’ve got a museum. Portland is loaded with these gems!