Featured Exhibits
at the History Museum in Tacoma
February 20 through November 4, 2012
A "Hooverville" painting by Ronald Debs Ginther. These communities arose
in many cities during the Great Depression, built by unemployed and displaced people.
WSHS Collections, 1967.137.29.
The 1929 Wall Street collapse plunged Americans into a period of great uncertainty
as unemployment skyrocketed, banks failed, and housing foreclosures hit record highs.
President Herbert Hoover put it succinctly: "About the time we think we can make
ends meet, somebody moves the ends."
Hope in Hard Times shares how ordinary people worked for change in their communities,
pulling together to find ways to deal with the crisis. A billy club used during
the 1934 "Battle of Smith Cove," WPA artifacts, and everyday items are
among some of the objects showcased in this exhibition. The paintings and sketches
of Ronald Debs Ginther, also featured in the exhibition, comprise one of the most
complete visual records of the Great Depression.
Download the Hope in Hard Times Fact Sheet in PDF format.
Help in Hard Times
Bring a box or can of food to the museum to help feed the needy in our communities throughout Washington State. All food donations benefit Northwest Harvest. Boxes for donations will be set up near our main entrance throughout the run of the exhibit. You can drop off non-perishable food items during our regular museum hours as often as you like.
Organized by the Washington State History Museum.
February 20 through November 4, 2012
Detail of photograph by Breonna Rose, Key Peninsula Middle School.
Students in the Key Peninsula Middle School digital photography classes share images of what they believe "hope" to be. A companion piece to HOPE IN HARD TIMES, this enchanting exhibit allows visitors to experience hope through a teen’s eyes.
Organized by Key Peninsula Middle School and the Washington
State History Museum.
October 20, 2011 through November 30, 2012
Allen Mason next to the coffin of Ankh-Wennefer, the mummy he brought home from
Egypt. WSHS Collections.
"Mason and the Mummy" features the story of noted Tacoma businessman Allen C. Mason
and his purchase of the Egyptian mummy Ankh-Wennefer. Mason set out on a 6-month
around-the-world journey to Egypt in 1890 with the intention of finding and bringing
home a mummy. He succeeded, and later donated Ankh-Wennefer’s mummy to the Historical
Society in 1897.
The mummy and its beautifully painted coffins have been the subject of much study
over the decades, with the most recent work being done by Dr. Elias and the Akhmim
Mummy Studies Consortium. Tacoma General Hospital worked with the Society to make
high-resolution scans of the mummy which were used to create a forensic portrait
of the late Ankh-Wennefer. Find out who Ankh-Wennefer was, what the Book of the
Dead is, and when the ancient rite of mummification was at its height here in "Mason and the Mummy. "
Organized by the Washington State History
Museum.
Through May 20, 2012
See the wagon Ezra Meeker drove along the Oregon Trail. (Washington State Historical
Society)
Guests voted for their favorite artifacts during the Icons of Washington History
exhibit, and for those chosen items, we've extended their display life in this annex
of the popular exhibition. We also asked guests to vote for their favorite icons
of the Evergreen State that didn't make the original cut, and have displayed Sasquatch
masks, a canoe model, a Native house post, and more in
Favorite Icons of Washington.
Organized by the Washington State History Museum.
Do you want to learn more about icons of our state? Visit Washington Stories for more information and activities.
April 11 through July 29, 2012
Magic lantern slide depicting an Egyptian scene. WSHS collections, C1975.26.18
Lantern slide programs enthralled 19th-century audiences. A projector containing a candle or oil lamp would transmit and enlarge images from hand-painted glass slides onto a wall. A more modern version used an incandescent bulb as a light source and projected slides made from hand-tinted photographs.
Lynette Miller, the Historical Society’s head of collections, curates this exhibit of lantern slides, projectors, and advertising materials organized in conjunction with the national convention of the Magic Lantern Society, which takes place June 21–24 in Tacoma.
On June 1 at 7 p.m. and June 23 at 7:30 p.m., you can see for yourself what the excitement was about. You can enjoy the entertainment the Victorians enjoyed at two Magic Lantern Shows presented in conjunction with the convention.
Organized by the Washington State History Museum.
COMING JUNE 21st!
June 21 through August 26, 2012
"Lightning Walker", by Chholing Taha, selected as Best in Show in 2011.
Visitors will see a vibrant and diverse exhibition that highlights the exciting world of today’s Native American contemporary artwork at the seventh annual In the Spirit exhibit. The art reflects world views shaped by many cultures through time. Works in the exhibit are chosen by a jury of local experts in Native American art. Four awards will be presented at the opening reception on the evening of June 21st and you can join in by helping choose the People’s Choice award which will be presented at the Festival on August 11th. Check out some of the artists from our exhibit in 2011.
Artists will find application forms and guidelines at The Longhouse at the Evergreen State College website.
Exhibit and festival organized by the Washington State History Museum, The Longhouse Education & Cultural Center at the Evergreen State College. Thanks to our media sponsor KUOW.