Featured Exhibits
Washington Then & Now
In 1927, Washington state got its own grand Capitol Legislative Building,
which is seen here in 1926 when work is under construction on one of the
highest domes in the world. (Courtesy Jean Sherrard)
Through November
Noted regional historian, Paul Dorpat, in collaboration with photographer Jean Sherrard,
has created a state wide version of his popular ‘Then and Now’ photo feature in The Seattle
Times. The exhibit compares and contrasts historic photographs of state locations with
contemporary photographs.
Guests will witness the many ways humans have left their mark on our state.
This is the largest visual analysis ever done on Washington.
Organized by the Washington State Historical Society, Paul Dorpat and Jean Sherrard.
From Parlor to Podium: Territorial Suffragists of Olympia
Mary Olney Brown was one of the most eloquent and ardent Olympia
Territorial suffragists. (Washington State Historical Society)
Through June 2011
Focusing on the territorial suffrage campaigns centered in Olympia, and the women and men
who worked to secure the vote for Washington women in the territorial period, the exhibit
highlights how the suffrage movement went from homes to the public sphere as suffrage supporters
organized for women’s rights. Olympia was central to the suffrage movement and
played host to noted suffrage leaders Susan B. Anthony, Abigail Scott Duniway,
Henry Blackwell and others.
The exhibit complements other projects and programs of the
Women’s History Consortium, under the auspices of the Washington State Historical Society,
which is leading the commemoration of the centennial
of women’s suffrage in Washington, and places the 1910 victory in the context of
both the 19th century national movement and the complex Washington Territorial suffrage saga.
Exhibit features period images, clothing, artifacts and furnishings.
Organized by the
Washington State Historical Society and the Women’s History Consortium.
Respecting the Knowledge: Ethnobotany of Western Washington
Detail of a traditional bentwood box, by Peter Simpson, Jr. (Washington State Historical Society)
Ongoing
Ethnobotany is understanding the relationship between plants and peoples. Native
communities, past and present, have used plants for food, medicine, and tools. The exhibit
includes beautiful photographs of native plants and descriptions of their traditional usage,
handmade tools and implements, baskets and a bentwood box.