History and holiday magic unite at the Washington State History Museum during the 23rd Annual Model Train Festival in December. Bring your family, friends, and the railroad enthusiasts in your life to see this showcase of the most spectacular and detailed model railroad scenes in the Pacific Northwest, including the largest permanent model train layout > Continue Reading

Special exhibitions on view: Collections Selections: Jacob Lawrence, Two Centuries of Glass, Sleight of Hand: Magic and Spiritualism in the Twentieth Century. Select unique gifts and complete your last-minute holiday shopping at The Goods at the Museum. Third Thursday is generously supported by Columbia Bank.

It’s a crafting and beer tasting bonanza! This is your last chance to see 180 really unusual items in the exhibition Make/Do: A History of Creative Reuse before it closes. Pair hands-on projects with specialty brews crafted by Washington breweries. Learn about each style of craft beer along with its historical significance to the area. > Continue Reading

Families can work together to make something new and unusual at the History Museum's Creative Construction Challenge! Participants will receive a set of "themed ingredients" - hint: come early and take a look at the Makerspace in our exhibit Make/Do to get an idea of the materials you'll get to work with. Use your ingredients > Continue Reading

Join University of Washington Tacoma professor Rose Njorog in a conversation about public perceptions of climate change. In spite of the scientific consensus on climate change, survey findings show that the American public is polarized in its views. A study conducted among 650 Florida citizens in 2012 suggest that different factors (rather than political ideology) > Continue Reading

Special exhibitions on view: Collections Selections: Jacob Lawrence, Two Centuries of Glass, Make/Do: A History of Creative Reuse (closing December 6!), and Sleight of Hand: Magic and Spiritualism in the Twentieth Century. Get in some holiday shopping at The Goods at the Museum, too. Third Thursday is generously supported by Columbia Bank.

Discover the history behind American World War I technology with Cowlitz County Museum Director Joseph Govednik. Commemorate Veterans Day and the centennial of Armistice Day. Learn about Washington’s role in preparing the country to fight in WWI as well as the incredible advancements in technology which impacted far more than just wartime industries.

Ready for some historically creepy fun? Grab a beer or a glass of wine before exploring the spookiest ghost stories from around Washington State! Lewis County Historical Museum’s director Jason Mattson will be here to share about paranormal occurrences and the county’s local ghost tours. You’ll also hear from paranormal investigators and learn how they > Continue Reading

Learn more about wildfires with Maureen C. Kennedy, Assistant Professor in Quantitative Fire at University of Washington Tacoma. She’ll talk about why wildfires are an important component of natural systems. She will overview wildfire and human interactions in the western states and talk about the current state of forest management. We will contemplate a possible > Continue Reading