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 find it on the Port Madison Indian Reservation in Washington state. It first opened in 1983. The museum moved into a new, bigger building in 2012.
Museum History
The Suquamish Museum first opened its doors in 1983. It was known as the Suquamish Museum and Cultural Center. At that time, it was only the second museum of its kind for a Native American tribe in Washington state.
In 2009, the Suquamish Tribe started a big project to build a new museum. They wanted a larger space to share their history and culture. Important leaders like Senator Patty Murray helped with this effort. The new building opened in 2012. It is three times bigger than the first museum.
The new building is about 9,000 square feet. It sits in a small garden on the Port Madison Indian Reservation. Inside, there are two main display areas, a gift shop, and a theater that seats 50 people. There is also a special room to keep artifacts safe. The building was designed to be very eco-friendly. It even won an award for its design in 2013.
What You Can See
Museum Collections
The museum has many old photographs. These pictures show what tribal life was like from the 1860s until today. The museum also has 496 ancient items found at the site of the Old Man House. This was a huge longhouse, about 240 meters (787 feet) long. It was the main meeting place for the Suquamish Tribe until it was taken down a long time ago.
These items from the Old Man House include things like harpoon points, smoking pipes, and jewelry. They were moved to the Suquamish Tribe in 2013. In 2014, even more items came to the museum. These were things like old dishes and glass bottles. They were found at a very old village site called Baba'kwob. This site is now part of Seattle's Belltown neighborhood.
Special Exhibits
The museum's main gallery has a permanent exhibit called "Ancient Shores – Changing Tides." This exhibit shows drawings, old papers, and historic photos of the Suquamish Tribe. You can also see traditional and modern crafts. There are also videos and interactive displays.
A very special part of this exhibit is a 300-year-old carved canoe. This canoe was last used in 1989 for the "Paddle to Seattle." This event was the first of many canoe journeys that tribes now do every year through the Salish Sea.
There is also a second gallery for changing exhibits. These exhibits might be from the museum's own collection. 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 Works
A group of five people, chosen by the Suquamish Tribal Council, manages the Suquamish Museum. The museum's galleries 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 researchers.
