Vintage Women’s Fashion
A Private Collection by Betsy Warren
1809 NW Johnson St Portland, OR 97209 Tours; Tuesday-Saturday 11 p.m & 2:30 p.m
By Appointment only: 971-279-4638
An assemblage of more than 5,000 dresses, coats, gowns, bags, shoes, hats & jewelry, showcasing women’s fashions from the 1920s to the 1980s.
The Collection
For decades, Betsy Warren has scoured Europe and North America, seeking the finest examples of vintage women's fashion.
"There is probably no other line of human endeavor in which there is so much change as in the product that womankind wears." - Women's Wear, June 1910. This collection is a celebration of those changes and the exceptional talents of the milliners, dressmakers, embroiderers and unsung designers of the 20th century.
the Building
The Ayer-Shea residence was built for Winslow B. Ayer in 1892 at the corner of NW Johnson and 18th Streets in the Nob Hill District in Portland, It was designed in the Colonial Revival Style by Whidden and Lewis, Portland's leading architects of the period. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 1982.
The Collector, Betsy Warren
The Bliss House Museum is the namesake of my great-grandmother Rena Bliss Goodnaugh Swigert. She was born in Portland in 1865 and lived here all of her 93 years. She was the daughter of Ira Goodnaugh, a pioneer Portland contractor who built many early buildings, including the first Multnomah County courthouse and the Goodnaugh building at SW 5th & Yamhill.
90-minute tours are scheduled Tuesday - Saturday at 11am & 2:30pm.
Choose an available date from the calendar below. To purchase spots for multiple persons, use the quantity selector above the calendar.
We ask for a 24 hour notice if you cannot make it to your scheduled tour date. No-call/no-show tours will not be refunded.
Please note that group size is limited to a maximum of 8 persons. If your party is bigger than 8 please give us a call.
On-site parking available.
Bliss House Museum
1809 NW Johnson St
Portland, OR 97209
971-279-4638
Click the marker to view full-screen.
Contact Us
Tours by appointment
Tues - Sun 11am, 1pm and 2:30pm
Questions? Special needs?
Please let us know.
host your event at the bliss house
seating space for up to 52 guests
(or standing room for up to 100), The Bliss House (the historic Ayer-Shea residence) is the perfect space for your bridal shower, corporate banquet, holiday gathering, or intimate candlelight dinner. The entire facility has been completely refurbished and modernized. You’re welcome to use your own food and beverage provider and our on-site catering kitchen.
Q: Isn’t The Bliss House a vintage fashion museum? A: Yes, it is, and open for tours Wednesday through Sunday. The dresses and other displayed items will be stored during your event.
Q: Is parking available? A: There is room for about seven cars in our lot, and street parking is also available.
Please call us at 971-279-4638 for more information. Or email us using our contact form.
