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Home > History Museum > Exhibits & Events
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Exhibits | Events & Programs All images are provided courtesy of the Washington State Historical Society except where otherwise noted. EXHIBITSThe West the Railroads Made 
Brochure promoting travel along the route of the Great Northern Railway, featured in The West the Railroads Made. Take a fresh look at what the iron road created in The West the Railroads Made. Learn about how this one form of transportation reshaped the West and helped create a truly continental nation. Beyond iron tracks and coal-fired engines, the story of railroads is a story of transformation. By bringing in immigrants, railroads changed the character of the region's population. By building depots, bridges and tunnels, it changed the area's landscape. By promoting agriculture, ranching and mining on a grand scale, it changed the people's way of life. Railroads brought the modern world to the West and the West to the modern world. The West the Railroads Made recounts how the idea of a Pacific railroad grew through the 1840s and 1850s, how it came to life in the second half of the 19th century, and how it reconceived itself to survive new challenges by the late 20th century. The exhibit will focus on the battleground between the river cities St. Louis and Portland, and the railroad cities Chicago and Seattle/Tacoma. It will feature more than 80 artifacts, including rare railroad ephemera, photographs, paintings and other three-dimensional pieces. This exhibit is generously supported by M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, TTX, Union Pacific Railroad, Ajax Foundation, The News Tribune, Tacoma Rail, Port of Tacoma, Dimmer Family Foundation and Click! Network. Organized by the Washington State Historical Society with the Barriger Railroad Library of the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.     Becoming American: Teenagers and Immigration 
Lili Shek, age 18, featured in Becoming American. What is it like to be a young immigrant in America? Fifty-nine teenagers share their stories through pictures and words in Becoming American: Teenagers & Immigration. This collection of black-and-white portraits, captioned by the subject’s own words, offers a thought-provoking exploration of immigration, acculturation, and cultural diversity. Photographed in their own communities—on a basketball court, at a place of worship, or inside their homes—the teens featured in this exhibit reveal a diverse array of responses to the immigrant experience, giving viewers an opportunity to better understand the complexity of the newcomer’s lives. Photographs by Barbara Beirne. Developed and circulated by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The exhibit also includes "In Our Voices," a film featuring interviews with members of the local Asia Pacific Islander community. These first generation immigrants discuss their expectations and experiences as young people in a new country. The film was developed in partnership with the Asia Pacific Cultural Center and Bates Technical College, through a grant from the Smithsonian Community Grant Program, funded by MetLife Foundation.
Curators’ Choice 
Basket made of orange peels, thread and wood, by Jan Hopkins. Sneak a peek into the inner workings of a museum curator’s mind with Curators’ Choice. Six of our own staff members share their personal favorites from the collection of Washington State Historical Society—whether they are historically significant, personally interesting, or simply pretty! Featured items include a contemporary basket made of dried orange peels, a Japanese Katana sword, and the first American edition of the Koran. More than 30 artifacts, maps, ephemera, photos, and works of art will be on display. Organized by the Washington State Historical Society. For more information, tune into KUOW's Sound Focus as Ed Nolan, head of Special Collections, talks about his Curators' Choice picks. Faces of Leadership: Presidential Portraiture 
Franklin Delano Roosevelt speaks in Tacoma during a visit to Washington in October 1937. Since the founding of our nation in 1776, artists far and wide have created images of our presidents and displayed them for all to see. These creative works surpass mere physical representations, providing historical continuity and a visible legacy for our nation. This exhibition features over 30 artworks and images from the permanent collections of the Washington State Historical Society. Organized by the Washington State Historical Society.
In the Spirit: Northwest Native Arts Exhibit 
Portrait of Contemporary Cultural Relevance, by Linley Logan. Third Place Award winner of In The Spirit 2007. The Washington State History Museum presents the third annual In the Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Exhibit, a juried art exhibit showcasing the works of contemporary Native American artists. It is a celebration of how today's Native American art blends time-honored traditions with modern sensibilities. This year's exhibit will feature works from more than 30 artists from across the United States, many living and working in the Pacific Northwest. Organized by the Washington State History Museum and The Evergreen State College Longhouse Education & Cultural Center.
EVENTS & PUBLIC PROGRAMSCurators' Choice Gallery Talk Series Learn more about the interesting items on display in the exhibit Curators' Choice by attending a Gallery Talk. Curators and guides will discuss the stories behind the artifacts and why they were chosen. Eight gallery talks are scheduled throughout the run of the exhibit, with sessions every first Friday at 2 PM (April 4, May 2, June 6, August 1), and third Thursday at 6 PM (April 17, May 15, June 19, July 17). Registration is not required. The Friday sessions are FREE with paid admission. The Thursday sessions coincide with Free Thursdays when admission to the museum is FREE. Ships, Sailors and Sounds of the Sea - Celebrating Washington's Maritime History Set sail to the Washington State History Museum for Ships, Sailors and Sounds of the Sea, a special family program celebrating Washington's maritime history. Come and meet two local authors as they present stories and images from books they have written about ships and the sea. Chuck Fowler is the author of "Tall Ships on Puget Sound," which tells the history of the tall sailing ships that came to the Pacific Northwest beginning in the mid-1700s. Children's book author Deb Lund wrote "Dino Sailors," about the funny adventures of a crew of novice dinosailors as they set sail, only to find that something even better waits for them back home. Catch a performance of the Whidbey Island singing group, The Shifty Sailors, who inspired the book "Dino Sailors." They will perform a selection of the traditional and fun sea shanties sung by sailors at sea. The group has released four CDs, including "H is for aHoy." Programs will run throughout the day starting at 11 AM. Special Invitation Please join us for the opening celebration of the In the Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Art Exhibit at the History Museum. The evening will begin with traditional Native American dance and drumming in the Grand Lobby. At 6 PM, artist awards for the juried art exhibit will be presented. Award categories to be presented include "Best in Show," "First Place," "Second Place," the "Northwest Pendleton Award," and the "Legacy Gallery Award." The celebration is FREE and open to the public. In the Spirit: Contemporary Northwest Native Arts Market & Festival 
Photo by Christopher Nelson. Join us for a Native American arts market, with products from a variety of artisans, and a festival that includes dancers, musicians, and storytellers from local tribes. Festival visitors can also watch demonstrations of traditional artwork from the best Northwest carvers, printmakers, weavers and bead artisans. Whether you're looking for a day of family fun or you're a serious art collector looking to add to your personal collection, this is an event you won't want to miss! Commencement Bay Cruise on the Virginia V 
Courtesy of the Steamship Virginia V Foundation. Join us during Tall Ships Tacoma 2008 for a History Museum cruise on the Virginia V. See the visiting tall ships from around the world and enjoy a restful afternoon on the water. Beverages will be provided. Other snacks will be available for purchase on board. The Virginia V will depart from the Thea Foss waterway dock located behind the Museum of Glass. Cruisers may use the History Museum parking lots and access the dock by crossing through the Bridge of Glass. The S.S. Virginia V was built in 1922 for the West Pass Transportation Company to carry freight and passengers from the communities on Vashon Island to Seattle and Tacoma. Once part of a large fleet of vessels that served waterfront towns all over Puget Sound, the Virginia V is the last surviving boat from the famous "Mosquito Fleet." |
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