Washington State History Museum

Photo: Tim Sheng via Google Maps

The Washington State History Museum sits on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma, right next door to historic Union Station. Run by the Washington State Historical Society, it tells the story of the state through theatrical storytelling, interactive displays and real artifacts, with characters from Washington’s past speaking about their own lives as you move through the galleries.

If you want one stop that ties together Native cultures, the pioneers, the timber and rail years and modern Washington, this is it. It is also home to a big model railroad that has turned into a winter tradition for a lot of South Sound families, and it is one of the easiest museums in the state to reach without a car.

What You’ll See

• The Great Hall of Washington History. The museum’s largest exhibit space covers frontier life, Lewis and Clark, early labor movements, the Great Depression and the industries that built the state, from farming, logging and coal mining to dam building and air, sea and rail transportation.
• Native history and deep time. The collection includes a Southern Coast Salish plank house, Native basketry and implements, and Clovis culture artifacts, the oldest objects in the museum.
• Washington: My Home. A permanent exhibition that opened in 2017, using first person audio stories, artifacts and interactive pieces to share how many different people came to call Washington home.
• The model railroad. Built by the Puget Sound Model Railroad Engineers club, the layout follows the line from Point Defiance to Stampede Pass in the Cascades and includes a detailed replica of Union Station. Visit Pierce County calls it the state’s largest permanent model railroad layout.
• History Lab. A hands on learning space where kids examine artifacts and play detective.

The Story Behind It

The Washington State Historical Society was founded in 1891, and Washingtonians have been working together to collect and share the state’s history for well over a century. For most of that time the collection lived elsewhere. The current museum opened on August 10, 1996, after five years of construction and preparation, which makes 2026 its thirtieth year on Pacific Avenue.

Architects Charles Moore and Arthur Andersson designed the 106,000 square foot building to belong to its block. Its rolling archways and curved amphitheater echo the old railroad terminal next door, while its brick face and size match the warehouse buildings across the street. Moore believed a building should reflect its setting and its purpose, and this one does both.

Tips for Your Visit

• Ride transit if you can: a Link light rail station sits right in front of the museum, along with local bus stops.
• If you drive, the museum has its own parking lot with hourly rates that vary by time and day. Stalls are first come, first served.
• Give the Great Hall real time. A South Sound Talk guide to the museum suggests allowing at least two hours for that exhibit alone.
• Visiting in winter? The annual Model Train Festival runs from December into early January. Check the website for this year’s dates.
• By car from I-5, take the I-705 City Center exit, then the 21st Street exit, veer left at the top of the ramp and turn right onto Pacific Avenue.

Plan Your Visit

Address: 1911 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA 98402
Phone: 253.272.3500
Website: washingtonhistory.org
Hours and admission: Check the museum website for current days, hours, and admission before you visit.
Directions: View on Google Maps