The Suquamish Museum presents the history and culture of the Puget Sound Salish Tribes—with particular emphasis granted the Suquamish Tribe. Collections include artifacts of daily life, more than 9,000 photographs and negatives, canoes, carvings, archival documents, and 150 oral histories.
The museum offers exhibits and guided tours. 48 hours notice is required for all guided tours.
The Northwest Seaport is a maritime heritage center in Washington state. The seaport maintains several historic vessels, including the 1889 tugboat Arthur Foss, which was used in 1898 to transport miners to Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush.
The center offers monthly chantey sings, preschool story times, monthly tugboat engineering workshops for participants 14 years of age or older, and self-guided and 45-minute group tours of the Arthur Foss. Group tours support no more than 12 participants. Please call ahead to arrange group tours and to ensure that the tugboat is open to the public on the day you plan to visit.
The Bainbridge Island Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the material and cultural history of Bainbridge Island, Washington. To this end, the society operates a museum of local history, located within a 1908 one-room schoolhouse. A MUSE award was given to the museum for its creative use of technology within a small-scale museum. Collections include more than 3,500 artifacts.
The society offers multi-media and traditional exhibits.
The Pacific County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Pacific County, Washington. To this end, the society operates the Pacific County Museum, the collections of which include more than 10,000 photographs, 1,500 artifacts, and historical documents. Areas of focus include Native American history, natural history, transportation, maritime history, daily life, and natural resources.
The museum offers exhibits and research collection access. Access to the research collection requires an appointment with the director.
The New Dungeness Light Station Association preserves, restores, and interprets the New Dungeness Light Station, the lighthouse of which has been in use since 1857.
The site offers exhibits on the significance of the lighthouse, a sound broadcast of the turning of the light, and guided tours of the lighthouse.
The Fire Service Museum of the Northwest presents firefighting history via photographs and historic firefighting equipment and apparatus.
The museum offers exhibits and educational programs. Reservations are required for educational programs.
The Meeker Mansion was completed in 1890 and is a fabulous example of Italianate Victorian architecture. The home was constructed for Eliza Jane, the wife of Ezra Meeker, who had wanted a nicer home after a trip to England. The Meekers lived in the home until Eliza Jane's death in 1909, at which point Ezra abandoned the house. Today, the home serves as a historic house museum, and gives visitors a glimpse of life in Washington at the turn of the century.
The home offers guided tours and special events. The home is also available for rental for events such as weddings. The website offers visitor information, a brief history of the home, and an events calendar.
The mission of the Association is to collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit materials reflecting the history and culture of Vashon-Maury Island and to serve as a resource for the community and region through educational programs, the collection of documents and data, and the operation of the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum. The building in which the museum is housed was originally a Lutheran Church built in 1907 and subsequently used as the home for Vashon Allied Arts and the Vashon Children's Centre; today, it contains a permanent exhibit, periodic special exhibits, a History Resource Room, and an extensive archive of island photographs and other materials.
The museum offers research library access and exhibits.
The Kelly Art Deco Lighting Museum is the world's only museum dedicated to displaying U.S. Art Deco slipe-shade lights. Collections include chandeliers, sconces, and table lights from between 1928 and 1938.
The museum offers exhibits.
The Nordic Heritage Museum presents the history of Scandinavian immigrants in the United States, as well as serving as a cultural center where people of all backgrounds are welcomed to be inspired by the values, traditions, art, and spirit of the Nordic peoples.
The Museum offers guided tours of the Dream of America immigration exhibit as well as self-guided tour options. Outreach trunks can be rented for classroom use for two-week periods, and include hands-on items, curriculum materials, and activities. Available trunks are the Immigrant Trunk, Nordic Folk Art Trunk, Trolls and Norse Gods Trunk, and Viking Trunk. The Nordic Adventures program provides presentations for your classroom on a number of Nordic subjects, free of charge. Weekend programs are also available for families.