by Molly Walsh
Across decades, the City of Olympia has built upon a rich history as Washington’s capital, while establishing a unique cultural identity synonymous with maritime industry, craft brewing, music and arts. And through the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance Museum, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance is looking to connect different facets of Olympia’s historic, cultural and artistic communities.
The museum is designed to combine multiple elements under one roof, including a visitor center and an all-around community hub that features a rotating selection of displays, art exhibitions and cultural experiences, with a focus on regional topics. The museum made its grand opening the weekend of June 28 and is now open weekly from Thursday through Sunday. Centrally located on Columbia Street, the museum sits across the street from The Olympia Center and just steps away from Percival Landing Park near Olympia’s waterfront.
The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance was established as a nonprofit organization in 2018. From the outset, it has been its long-term goal for the Heritage Alliance to develop a multi-faceted arts, culture and history museum located in downtown Olympia. The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance has facilitated a number of public displays related to local history and art, in preparation for a more permanent museum space.
There has been continued demand for a historical museum in Olympia in addition to demand for an active arts hub. And as the City of Olympia looks to foster the creation of art through the Olympia Armory Creative Campus, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance is working from another angle, with the museum as an opportunity to showcase Olympia’s artistic legacy and cultural history.
In recent years, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance has curated a number of historical displays overlooking downtown Olympia, in the Fire Hall Bay windows at 108 State Avenue NW, the “It’s the Water” exhibition, on display from 2020-2023, showcased the story of Olympia’s waterways, including images and artifacts from the Squaxin Island Tribe.
In collaboration with the Olympia Historical Society, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance also helped to recount the story of Rebecca Howard, a trailblazing Black businesswoman in Olympia in the 19th century, through a plaque located on East Bay Drive.
The new museum spans around 1,200 square feet with three gallery spaces, and a friendly slate of volunteers ready to meet guests as they make their entrance. Volunteers are available to answer questions and provide additional context for pieces on display. At the Visitor Center, vacationers have the opportunity to learn more about must-see sights and attractions around Olympia, and local residents can stop by to learn more about local events and happenings.
Near the museum’s entrance and visitor center space, opening exhibitions include button blankets by Ruth Whitener and Vicki Engel. Near the windows overlooking State Avenue, Blazed and Mountaineer Creek Char by artist Suze Woolf, includes hanging panels of silk organza with additional text flanking each side.
The North Gallery’s exhibition features the work of seven regional artists with artwork that corresponds with a collection of historical postcards. Artists featured in this exhibition include Doyle Fanning, Kathy Gore Fuss, Mimi Williams, Joe Seymour and Tom Anderson.
The South Gallery is the museum’s largest exhibition area, currently housing the display Our Town Through Sylvester’s Windows. This exhibition features a collection of eight paintings of Sylvester Park and the heart of Olympia from the early 19th century to the year 2000. And as city corridors have continued to evolve and storefronts adopt different names, the paintings showcase the story of Sylvester Park as a gathering space and local landmark. VIsitors can also learn more about the history of Capital Lakefair and a Pagan Frolic event that took place in Olympia in late summer 1935.
In the initial weeks of the museum’s opening, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance team will be interested in engaging with visitors and the greater community, sharing tidbits of local history that can foster a love of learning and deeper connection across cultures. And notecards are available at the museum for visitors to fill out their “AHA moment,” whether it be an interesting story from one of the museum’s displays, or providing insight for future exhibitions.
For the museum’s inaugural exhibitions, the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance worked with Jonathan Happ, gallery director at Childhood’s End Gallery to curate and properly display museum artwork. The Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance has also collaborated with the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, and is looking forward to partnerships with additional community organizations for future exhibitions.
As the next year unfolds, the museum will continue to showcase artistic displays and exhibitions that highlight local history and regional events, including potential displays centered around Olympia Harbor Days, regional ties to shellfish and community oral history projects. There is also potential for the space to host special gatherings or programs that tie to exhibitions, including artist talks or book discussions.
Photos by Molly Walsh.
WHAT:
Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance Museum
WHEN:
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursdays-Sundays
WHERE:
203 Columbia Street NW, Olympia
COST:
Free
LEARN MORE:
https://www.olyaha.org/