Renton History Museum facts for kids
The Renton History Museum is a special place in Renton, Washington. It keeps important objects and stories from the city's past. The museum helps people learn about Renton's history through its collections, exhibits, and fun programs. It works together with the city of Renton and a group called the Renton Historical Society.
The museum's main goal is to "preserve, document, interpret, and educate about the history of greater Renton." This means they save old things, write down facts, explain what happened, and teach everyone about Renton's past. Their motto is "Capture the Past, Educate the Present, Inspire the Future." It is the only place in Renton focused on the city's heritage.
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Discovering Renton's Past
The Renton History Museum has many collections. These include objects, photographs, and important papers. They all tell the story of Renton's history. The museum takes care of over 90,000 objects and 13,000 photos. These items show Renton's culture, social life, and industries. They cover all periods of the city's past. The photo collection is very special. It has pictures from 1880 to 1940. These photos show local coal mining and railroads. They also show the daily life of people in Renton.
What You Can See: Collections and Exhibits
The museum often creates new exhibits for visitors. Some recent exhibits have included:
- 100 Years at Renton High
- Sustaining a City
- The Twilight Zone Art Show
- Hero's Feast: Finding Community through Dungeons & Dragons
Fun Programs and Learning
The museum also hosts many public programs. These include "RenTeens" for teenagers. There are also programs for adults and families. These activities might include storytelling and performances. They also have talks about Renton's rich history. The museum offers special classroom programs too. These teach students in grades 4 to 8 about Coast Salish-Duwamish life. They also learn about local culture and coal mining.
Where to Find the Museum
The Renton History Museum is in downtown Renton. You can find it at 235 Mill Avenue South. The museum building used to be a fire station. It was built in 1942 in the Art Deco style. This building is the last one remaining that was built under the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the 1930s and 1940s. A photo from the museum's website shows the building as "Fire Station #1" in 1944.
Today, the old fire station is home to the museum's exhibits. It also holds the collections and a research library. You can visit the research library by making an appointment. The museum is close to local shops and restaurants. It is also near the public library and Liberty Park. Visitors can enjoy free parking at the museum.
