washington state history museum

This is a "must" for anyone interested in the history of the NW. It features rotating exhibits which are often interesting.

It's $11 per person to enter the museum. There are basically two floors of exhibits, although it seems the museum would be much larger. It was an interesting visit, and I would recommend two visits spread over a year's time. The most interesting part to me was the part of the museum dedicated to Washington's mountains and volcanoes, although that exhibit could use updating. There were exhibits I didn't understand, dresses and Punkweiler? What is that? Much of the museum seems geared toward kids ages 5-10. It seemed to us there could have been a lot more there. Even the gift shop seemed like an afterthought, and I do love gift shops.

The new exhibit on volcanos is so interesting as the 35th anniversary of the Mt St Helens eruption draws near. There is so much to see and the museum store has unique gift items.

My son and I spent a delightful afternoon at the museum. Whats even better is admission was free for military members (not all the time) due to a special promotion for that month. I was in town helping my son move off base and we took a break to explore Tacoma. I love history and enjoyed the entire museum - to be honest there is so much to see and enjoy we ran out of steam after a few hours and I hope to return to spend some more time learning about Washington history.

We were visiting when the glass museum and the zoo were closed so this was third choice. It is a small museum with really enthusiastic staff. I found the exhibits just interesting enough to hold my attention but not get me really excited, and I like history. The gift shop is quite nice.

A large museum that can take all day to see. Lots of stuff the kids will enjoy. The 3rd Thursday of every month is free 2-8.

My wife and I went to the museum to see the annual Train Festival in late December 2014. Nearly every floor and every room had something related to model railroading for people to enjoy. The displays were in several different scales. We most enjoyed the two large N scale modular layouts and the permanent HO scale museum layout. It was quite evident throughout that all of the modelers were having a great time and every one of them was willing to answer any question any guest might have. This is a fun activity for the whole family each year during the final days of the year and sometimes into the first of the new year. It's a great place/time for grandparents to take their grandchildren for something to see.

Awesome model train displays set up on 5 levels during the month of December. Many other very good displays throughout the museum.

This is one of the best museums I have been to! The people were friendly and the exhibits were amazing! There were a lot of interactive areas which we great for the kids AND the adults. If you have kids, be sure to ask for the scavenger hunt at the desk. They may even give you a coloring book for the smaller kids.

Upon entering this museum, one can see right away what a great draw this would be for school field trips. My buddy and I went on a Sunday, and there were very few people in the building, which made it ideal for strolling around at leisure.Based on how the attractions appeared to me, I would categorize the museum into four general areas:(1) Hall of Washington History. This large area is set up as a series of walk-through exhibits and dioramas, where one can learn about many aspects of lifestyle, industry and events specific to Washington. Included are life-size figures to augment the learning spaces. Two things I never expected to see were the frame of a Boeing aircraft (hanging from the ceiling) and a fish butchering machine. Pretty cool. I would rate the quality of the exhibits an A+, and I can see where every student within a two-hour’s drive would sooner or later pass through here on a field trip.(2) History Lab. This area didn’t seem to be active when I visited. Not sure if the interactive features weren’t operating, or if the other visitors just stayed away. From what the website says, this attraction involves solving a “history mystery” and would be geared toward elementary and middle school kids.(3) Model Railroad. I don’t know too much about model railroads, but this display was awesome. Real Washington rail lines are depicted and the scaled down structures and landscaping are impressive. I think I counted six trains on the various tracks.(4) Galleries. This is where featured exhibits are on display for a specified time frame. Definitely go see “Seeds of Victory,” consisting of propaganda posters from the WWI era. This type of art—which is on loan from a private collection—is something I had never experienced before on this scale. The collection [through December 7] is absolutely stupendous, and was the highlight of my visit. Also interesting is “Pomp & Circumstance,” which has to do with clothing related to common ceremonies from cultures all over the world. I have visited fashion exhibits in many museums, but this one was very cleverly put together: wedding gowns, graduation outfits, various uniforms and a wildly pretty quinceañera gown.I would highly recommend visiting here, but you may want to plan the day/time so as to avoid throngs of school kids.Notes:* Parking is available on-street or in parking lots. Rates vary by day of week and duration. The website has good info on this.* General adult admission just went up to $11, but there are discounts for seniors, students, military, children and AAA members.

Highly recommend it, when we went there were great exhibits regarding the civil war but also live exhibits going on throughout the day. I love it!!!

Every November or December I go to the History Museum. It's a great place to buy gifts for people who enjoy local and state history. Be sure to watch for the "off-beat" exhibits. I went during the DB Cooper Exhibit and was completely fascinated with the detail and thoughtful layout. The curators know how to present stories by including the unexpected. It is very inexpensive to join, especially for families. I love the model train exhibit and talking to the train buffs. I have always met smart, interesting people in this museum.

Lots of hands on activities for the kids, videos, costumes, exhibits, model rail roads, and special exhibits. Lots of exhibits for the adults including the WWI posters. A little light on some of the history and background of some of the exhibits.

This museum is chock full of surprises! One of the floors is dedicated to kids with so many hands on activities to learn about the state of Washington and its history. I'm a teacher and I can't wait to take my students here. What really impressed me was a display that showed how the land changed over time from the ice age to the present in an electronic display table that moved through time before your eyes! Fun! Take the family!

Well worth the time! Very well laid-out - very informative. Awesome place to spend a rainy afternoon. ( HINT : GO TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY FOR A FREE PASS! )