Suquamish Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1983 |
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| Location | 6861 NE South St, Suquamish, Washington |
| Type | Tribal Museum |
| Key holdings | Old Man House artifacts, Baba'kwob site artifacts |
| Owner | Suquamish Tribe |
The Suquamish Museum is a special place that keeps and shows important items and stories about the Suquamish Tribe. You can see old tools and treasures from places like the Old Man House and the Baba'kwob site here. The museum is found on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in Washington state. It first opened its doors in 1983. Today, the museum is in a newer, bigger building that opened in 2012.
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How the Suquamish Museum Started
The Suquamish Museum first opened in 1983. Back then, it was called the Suquamish Museum and Cultural Center. It was only the second museum of its kind in Washington state that focused on a Native American tribe. In 2009, the Suquamish Tribe began a big project to build a new, larger museum. They asked important people like Senator Patty Murray to help them raise money.
Building a New Home for History
The new museum building opened in 2012. It is three times bigger than the first one! This new building cost about $6 million to build. It is a large space, about 9,000 square feet (836 square meters). The museum is set in a small garden on the Port Madison Indian Reservation. Inside, it has two main display areas, a gift shop, and a theater with 50 seats. There is also a special room to keep old items safe. This room controls the temperature and moisture.
The building was designed by a company called Mithun. It is also a "LEED Gold certified building." This means it was built in a way that is good for the environment. In 2013, the building even won an award from the Washington Council of the American Institute of Architects.
What You Can See at the Museum
Amazing Collections and Artifacts
The museum has a huge collection of photographs. These pictures show what tribal life was like from the 1860s until today. The museum also has 496 old items found at the site of the Old Man House. This was a very long building, about 240 meters (787 feet) long. It was the main meeting place for the Suquamish people until it was taken down many years ago.
These items from the Old Man House include things like harpoon points, smoking pipes, and jewelry. They used to be kept at the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. But in 2013, they were given back to the Suquamish Tribe.
In 2014, the Port of Seattle gave more old items to the museum. These included old dishes and glass bottles. They were found during digs in the 1970s at a place called Baba'kwob. This was an old village in what is now the Belltown area of Seattle.
Exhibits and Special Displays
The museum's main display area has a permanent exhibit called "Ancient Shores – Changing Tides." This exhibit shows drawings, old papers, and historic photos about the Suquamish Tribe. You can also see crafts from both the past and today. There are also special panels and videos to help you learn.
The most important part of this exhibit is a 300-year-old carved canoe. This canoe was last used in 1989 for the "Paddle to Seattle." This was the first of many yearly canoe journeys through the Salish Sea taken by tribal members.
A second display area is used for changing exhibits. These might be items from the museum's own collection that are not usually on display. Or they might be items borrowed from other museums. Sometimes, the museum hosts traveling exhibits from the Smithsonian Institution. One past exhibit was "Native Words, Native Warriors." It told the story of Native Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces.
How the Museum is Run
The Suquamish Museum is managed by a group of five people. These people are chosen by the Suquamish Tribal Council. The museum's display areas and theater are open every day during the summer. For the rest of the year, they are open five days a week. The special storage room for artifacts is open weekly for tribal members and approved researchers.
