Clark County Historical Museum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Vancouver Public Library
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Vancouver Washington
|
|
| Location | 1511 Main St., Vancouver, Washington |
|---|---|
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1909 |
| Architect | Nichols, Dennis; Kaufman, William |
| MPS | Carnegie Libraries of Washington TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 82004204 |
| Added to NRHP | August 3, 1982 |
The Clark County Historical Museum is a cool place in Vancouver, Washington. It helps us learn about the past of Clark County and the Pacific Northwest. The museum is located in a special old building. This building used to be a library built in 1909. It was one of many libraries funded by a rich man named Andrew Carnegie. The museum opened its doors in this building on May 24, 1964.
Contents
Exploring the Museum
The museum has many interesting things to see. They often change their exhibits. This means there's always something new to discover! You can see displays about local history. There's also a special exhibit about Native American crafts. The museum's main goal is to collect and share the history of Clark County. They also want to teach everyone about the past.
How the Museum Works
The Clark County Historical Museum is a non-profit organization. This means it uses all its money to help the museum grow. It works with Clark County and the City of Vancouver. The museum also gets help from people who become members. Grants, company support, and donations also help keep the museum running.
Fun Programs and Events
The museum hosts many exciting events throughout the year. These events are a great way to learn and have fun!
Mr. Carnegie's Grand Tour
The museum helped start a group called the Carnegie Library Consortium of Washington. In 2009, they began "Mr. Carnegie's Grand Tour of Washington." This is a free yearly event where people can drive to historic Carnegie libraries. They also visit other important historical places nearby.
Harvest Fun Day
Since 2004, the museum has held an event called Harvest Fun Day. This is a big community party in the fall. You can make scarecrows and paint pumpkins. There are also pie-eating contests and corn-shucking challenges. You can even see old farm equipment demonstrations. Live music makes the day even more fun! This event happens on the fourth Saturday of September. Since 2010, it has been at the 78th Street Heritage Farm.
Holiday Open House
Every year, the museum hosts a Holiday Open House. This event is free to enter. Local artists show and sell their handmade items. It's a great way to find unique gifts. This event takes place on the first Saturday of December.
First Thursday Museum After Hours
From February to November, the museum is open late on the first Thursday of each month. This event is called First Thursday Museum After Hours. You can visit from 5 to 9 p.m. At 7 p.m., a guest speaker gives a talk. They discuss many interesting topics related to history.
Learning with Schools
The museum also works with local schools. They create educational projects for students. For example, from 2009 to 2012, they used "Artifact Detectives" kits. These kits helped students in several Clark County schools learn about historical objects.
The Brautigan Library
In 2010, the museum became the home of The Brautigan Library. This is a special collection of books. These books are all unpublished stories. They were inspired by a book written by Richard Brautigan in 1971. People from all over the world sent in their stories in the early 1990s.
