Mission:
The Whatcom Museum provides leadership in the fields of history and art in the Pacific Northwest. Through preservation, collections, exhibitions, and educational programs, the Museum enhances the quality of life for our community.

History:
The Museum’s collection includes an extensive Photo Archives featuring more than 150,000 images pertaining to the history of the local region by highly respected photographers of the 20th century including Darius Kinsey, J. Wilbur Sandison, Jack Carver and many others.

Permanent Exhibits highlight cultural and natural artifacts tracing the history of the Bellingham region since the mid-1800s.

Temporary Exhibitions regularly feature topics of local history and provide fresh insights and interpretations of the surrounding community.

Special Events often include topics of historical research conducted by members of the local community.

Each summer the Museum hosts weekly Bellingham Bay History Cruises narrated by Museum curator of education Richard Vanderway. The 2½ hour sunset cruise explores the history of Bellingham as it was originally viewed settled — from the shoreline.