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Northwest Railway Museum 

Description

The organization teaches, preserves and perpetuates Northwest railway history by operating a living museum where visitors participate in a historically-accurate experience. These exciting yet educational programs are building a broad and diverse audience.  Many programs feature an operating railroad with - quite literally - all the bells and whistles, which encourage participation. The primary audience is families with young children and school children however programs are of interest to all ages.                

The Museum is continuing to develop the Railway History Center campus in Snoqualmie where new indoor facilities will house the collection and host public programs.  This $10 million initial development is 2/3 complete and remains the organization's top long term goal.  The next stage in development is a structure to house public restrooms, program staff and a library/archives for the collection of published material.             

Other goals include complete cataloging of the collection, improved collections care, and improving and expanding historical interpretation.

Mission Statement
To develop and operate an outstanding railroad museum that provides the public a place to experience the excitement of a working railroad and to see and understand the significance of railroads in the development and settlement of Washington and adjacent areas.
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Northwest Railway Museum
PO Box 459 
Snoqualmie 
WA
98065-0459 
(425) 888-3030 

Richard R. Anderson 
Executive Director 

Programs

Northwest Railway Museum Programs

Interpretive Railway
Visitors experience a vintage rail excursion through the Cascade foothills and experience what it was like traveling by train in the early 20th Century.                  

Running Trades
Volunteers learn to be conductors, locomotive engineers and brakemen, and operate trains on the Museum's railroad.               

Interpretive Exhibits
Exhibits of large and small objects along with interpretive signage allow the public to see and understand the role and significance of railroads in the development of the Northwest.  Exhibits are in and around the Snoqualmie Depot (free), along Snoqualmie's Centennial Trail (free), and in the RHC Exhibit Building (admission fee.)                  

Large object collection care practices, outreach via the web, and a railway history research library are three additional programs the Museum offers.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Railway History Center exhibit space
The Museum has completed construction of an exhibit and collections storage building for the most representative and vulnerable artifacts. The project cost was $4.3 million and was in planning for 10 years.  This exhibit space incorporates 25,000 square feet and is the first indoor space for large artifacts.  Construction began in 2009 and substantial completion of the structure was achieved in 2010. Since then, a primarily volunteer effort constructed 2,600 feet of track and installing the first exhibits.  The grand opening was held in September 2011; additional facilities including public restrooms and a library will continue to be developed as fundraising progresses.              

Chapel Car rehabilitation
Beginning in 2011, Chapel Car 5 Messenger of Peace (http://www.messengerofpeace.org) is under rehabilitation in the Conservation and Restoration Center, the Museum's large object collection care facility.  The car is a National Treasure and is receiving frame repairs and restoration of missing windows and interior appointments.  By the end of 2011, the project was 65% complete with major car body work wrapping up.  This $400,000 project is 90% funded with major support from Save America's Treasures, 4Culture, American Express Foundation, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Washington State Historical Society and private donors.

Collections Cataloging
With the completion of the exhibit and collection storage space, one of the top priorities is collections cataloging.  The Museum had cataloged approximately 5% of the small object collection and 10% of the photo & archive collection.  Cataloging will allow improved public access to the collection, and allow interpretive staff to make better use of the collections in programs.  For instance, highlights of the small object collection will be available for viewing in an online catalogue project that has been partically funded by 4Culture.

Evaluation


The Northwest Railway Museum is a non-traditional cultural attraction that is unique in the Pacific Northwest. The Museum teaches, preserves, and perpetuates railway history.

Northwest Railway Museum's Railway History Center is an effort to construct exhibition space, collection storage, collection care and administrative offices. The first phase, a collection care facility, was completed in 2006. Phase II is the construction of a Train Shed and phase III will be a library archival vault and administrative spaced.

The Train Shed will provide an enclosed and secure space to exhibit and store large railway transportation artifacts including locomotives, coaches and freight cars. The Train Shed will provide 25,000 square feet of preservation and provide the space to create interpretive exhibits, protect the most vulnerable elements in the collection and provide year round programming.

The $4 million capital campaign began in 2007 and is expected to conclude at the end of 2010. They have raised approximately $3.6 million to date. Construction of the Train Shed began in July 2009 and is scheduled to be completed by spring/summer 2010.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
12/10/2007 $25,000.00support the Railway History Center Train Shed capital campaign.
3/16/2005 $5,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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