Yakima Valley Museum

The Yakima Valley Museum is a 65,000-square-foot (6,000 m²) facility offers historical exhibits on the Yakima Valley—its natural history, American Indian culture, pioneer life, early city life, and the roots and development of the Valley’s fruit industry.

Exhibits

The museum has a superb collection of horse-drawn vehicles, from stagecoach to hearse; an historical exhibit and reconstruction of the Washington D.C. office of former Yakima resident and environmentalist, Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, an exhibit of petrified Miocene trees, a "Neon Garden" exhibit of vintage neon lights, and a changing schedule of special exhibitions.^[2][3]

The Museum Collections are always available for research and study by appointment. Within the museum is the Children’s Underground, a 2,500 ft2 interactive learning center offering museum-related educational activities and programs for children ages 5 to 15; special tours are available. The Museum Soda Fountain is a functioning replica of a late 1930s Art Deco soda fountain. Furnished with salvaged and restored parts of authentic Yakima soda fountains, this piece of history serves ice cream treats and other fountain favorites for visitors to the museum and Franklin Park. The museum's Great Hall, a grand performance space beneath the "Neon Garden," offers programs and concerts throughout the year; call the museum or visit check the schedule. The museum also operates the nearby H. M. Gilbert Homeplace (2109 W. Yakima Ave—3 blocks from the museum); built in 1898, this late Victorian farmhouse is now filled with period furnishings.

Yakima memory

In July 2001, the Yakima Valley Library and Yakima Valley Museum began a project titled Yakima Memory to digitization of approximately 9,000 photographs in two collections, and provides access to the new digitized collections via the internet.^[4][5]

References

External links

• KCTS9 Showcase Yakima/Inside the Yakima Valley Museum (film)