Orcas Island Historical Museums

Orcas Island Historical Museums “We educate, inspire, connect and involve our community and visitors as stewards of island history"

Fresh garden greens, a buffet of hot lunch options, friendly vendors, and sweet live music-- what could make a Saturday ...
05/27/2026

Fresh garden greens, a buffet of hot lunch options, friendly vendors, and sweet live music-- what could make a Saturday on Orcas any better? Enjoy the music and then swing by the museum, open from 11am-3pm.

Thank you, Orcas Island Farmers Market!

This Thursday! DIY stations for buttons and bookmarks PLUS learn more about oral histories at the Historical Museum. May...
05/25/2026

This Thursday! DIY stations for buttons and bookmarks PLUS learn more about oral histories at the Historical Museum.

May 28th from 6-8pm at Orcas Island Public Library, with support from Orcas Island Pride.

With the continued help of our community, we will be able to plan for a permanent exhibit about the historic & continuin...
05/22/2026

With the continued help of our community, we will be able to plan for a permanent exhibit about the historic & continuing traditions of Coast Salish life on Orcas Island.

This is an opportunity to collaborate with Indigenous colleagues, experts, and elders to broaden the perspectives of the stories we share about Orcas Island history. The research covered by this grant will lay the foundations for deeper educational programming and enrich the quality of what the Museums can offer our community.

Thank you again to our supporters and donors who made this possible!
Orcas Island Community Foundation

05/20/2026

There's still time to support so many meaningful campaigns with Spring GiveOrcas!
Orcas Island Community Foundation

05/19/2026

Calling all allies-- did you know that Spring GiveOrcas includes three different campaigns that support cross-cultural education on Indigenous perspectives? These opportunities still need your help to reach thousands of learners of all ages!

Friends of the San Juans: Help us bring Chenoa Egawa of Lummi Nation and S’Klallam Tribe to Orcas Middle and High School in honor of Indigenous People’s Day.

Se'Si'Le: Support a series of events to foster more connection between the Lummi people and the residents of Orcas Island. (https://se-si-le.org/)

Orcas Island Historical Museums: Planning for a permanent Indigenous history exhibit rooted in real stories of Orcas Island.

Orcas Island Community Foundation

Every dollar counts! We're on the way towards our $16,000 fundraising goal. Join our Spring GiveOrcas campaign to develo...
05/16/2026

Every dollar counts! We're on the way towards our $16,000 fundraising goal. Join our Spring GiveOrcas campaign to develop public education materials in consultation with a curator, exhibit designer, and elders from the Northwest Indian College. This grant will cover expenses related to compensation for expert consulting, travel, and lodging.

Island Community Foundation

Two of our favorite items from the Museums' collection are the well-loved baseball and glove that belonged to longtime i...
05/16/2026

Two of our favorite items from the Museums' collection are the well-loved baseball and glove that belonged to longtime islander Frank Shattuck. Growing up on Orcas in the late 1800s, Shattuck learned to navigate his Coast Salish & European settler heritage during a time of rapid social change.

Orcas Island's unique hybrid cultural heritage has been shaped by diverse influences. It's our mission at Orcas Island Historical Museums to inspire connection and stewardship of local heritage through cross-cultural exchange and education.

Donate to our GiveOrcas campaign before May 21st and YOU can be part of an exciting collaborative effort to amplify Indigenous island voices and strengthen community understandings of our past and present.

OIHM has been building relationships and working with regional partners to broaden the perspectives of whose stories are told. We are committed to ensuring that our exhibits and programming reflect local Indigenous perspectives.

https://oicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/grant?grant_id=42044
Orcas Island Community Foundation

OIHM has been building regional relationships and collaborating with Indigenous colleagues, experts, and elders to broad...
05/13/2026

OIHM has been building regional relationships and collaborating with Indigenous colleagues, experts, and elders to broaden the perspectives of the stories we share about Orcas Island history.

Join our Spring GiveOrcas campaign through May 21 to amplify Indigenous island voices in a permanent exhibit. Click the link to donate directly through OICF: https://oicf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/grant?grant_id=42044

Orcas Island Community Foundation

Did you know that you can make a research request by appointment at the Museum? Letitia and her family recently made a r...
05/08/2026

Did you know that you can make a research request by appointment at the Museum?

Letitia and her family recently made a research appointment with Museum staff to look at photos of Orcas Island from the early 1930s. As a young child, Letitia briefly lived at Camp Moran with her father, Samuel James Clarke Sr., who worked for the Civilian Conservations Corps (CCC) leading forestry projects at Camp Moran.

Clarke and his family stayed at a cabin on Mountain Lake in the summers, at one point trading a radio for a dairy cow, which he kept at the Camp. Although Letitia and her three siblings were only on Orcas Island for a few years, they have carried the fond memories of their time at Camp Moran with them through their lives.

During the appointment, Museum staff was able to find articles from the 1934 Friday Harbor Journal that mentioned Letitia's father, and show photos of the CCC projects that Clarke Sr. was likely involved in.

Address

181 Northbeach Road/PO Box 134
Eastsound, WA
98245

Opening Hours

Thursday 11am - 3pm
Friday 11am - 3pm
Saturday 11am - 3pm
Sunday 11am - 3pm

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