Washington State Historical Society Programs
The Society's education program provides interpretive services to over 25,000 K-12 students and teachers each year through school field trips, teacher professional development training, and online curricula closely aligned with state assessment requirements.
The Historical Society collects, catalogs, and preserves artifacts, manuscripts, maps, ephemera, photographs and books that are irreplaceable and related to the interpretation of our state's history. We strive to make the collections available to interpretive service activities, including digital assets accessible online through research.washingtonhistory.org.
The Historical Society engages students/teachers, organizations, agencies and communities statewide through outreach activities and partnerships using National History Day, Heritage Capital Projects, conferences, workshops, traveling exhibit services, and technical assistance.
Recent Successes and Current Challenges
Among our recent successes include the major exhibit for 2012, "Hope in Hard Times: Washington during the Great Depression." Contrasting the Great Depression of the 1930s with the Great Recession of present times, we have not only put today's challenges in perspective for younger audiences, but also partnered with seniors who lived through the Depression to chronicle their personal stories of optimism and perseverance.
As we approach future exhibits, educational programs and community events, we seek to maintain this momentum of tying first-hand, personal experiences to historical subjects--bringing history to life for audiences of all ages.
Our current needs include support of educational programs and exhibits, preservation and restoration of our vast archives and collections, and underwriting of free, accessible events like the Third Thursday program (a monthly occasion on which History Museum hours are extended and admission fees are waived). We also appreciate support of our general/operating expenses, festivals like the annual contemporary Native American art program, "In the Spirit," and future opportunities to grow our statewide, educational impact through increased staffing.
We believe that History is Here to Stay! Please join us as we bring history to life through a range of interpretive outlets for a broad spectrum of Museum and virtual visitors.