Museum Events

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Lacey Historical Society 1980-2023

Historical Societies form in a variety of ways. Come and learn about the Lacey Historical Society and their legacy.

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online. Registration required for online attendance only.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

A History of the Northwest Passage in Five Maps

Using a series of rarely seen historic maps drawn from the collection of the Washington State Library and the Washington State Historical Society, Dave Nicandri will discuss the evolution of the Northwest Passage as a cartographic concept.  The principle figures in this story are British explorers James Cook, his one-time midshipman George Vancouver, Montreal-based fur trader Alexander Mackenzie, and Lewis & Clark.

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online. Registration required for online attendance only.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Germans in the South Puget Sound Region in the late 19th Century

After the Civil War, quite a few young men from the Prussian region of Germany made their way to the South Puget Sound, lured by expectations of prosperity—jobs, free land—and religious and social freedoms. This talk focuses on the life and death of one, Friedrich Richter, who for a time owned property on the east bank of the Nisqually Delta, land that one day would become part of the Braget Family Farm.

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online. Registration required for online attendance only.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Revealing Records in the Washington State Archives

Learn tips and tricks for using the State and Southwest Regional Archives located in Olympia. Whether you are searching for your family history, property records, or looking for photos, maps, or clippings, this informative and illustrated talk will provide valuable insight on accessing and utilizing the state and local collections.

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online. Registration required for online attendance only.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

“It’s the Water”: A Brief History of the Olympia Brewing Company

During the 1970s, the Olympia Brewing Company was ranked the 6th-largest brewer in the nation. It was the largest private employer in Thurston County for decades, and its influence has permeated the community for well over a century. Olympia Tumwater Foundation Assistant Director Megan Ockerman presents an illustrated history of the brewery, the people who ran it, and its place as a pop culture icon.

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online. Registration required for online attendance only.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Excavating the Bush Homestead

Hybrid Format: Come in person to Lacey City Hall, Council Chambers or join online.

Recent excavations of the Bush Homestead, site of early non-white settlers George and Isabella Bush, led by Dr. Ulrike Krotscheck, Professor at The Evergreen State College, uncovered evidence of the Bushes’ generosity. Come hear how it also renewed community interest in the Bush family, leading to the dedication of new monuments in the area.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

The Pig War: Great Britain vs. The United States

Location: Lacey City Hall Council Chambers and Online

In 1859, the United States and Great Britain stood on the brink of war for the third time in less than a century, and it all started over the shooting of a wayward pig that had uprooted a neighboring farmer’s potatoes. For 12 years, the US Army and the Royal Navy faced off on San Juan Island in Washington Territory, daring each other to make the first move. The cast of characters involved in this saga is a veritable who’s who of 19th century historical celebrity. Washington state historian Erich R. Ebel recounts the story of The Pig War, otherwise known as The Bloodless War or The War That Wasn’t.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Scoundrels: The Life of Susie Lewis

Location: Lacey City Hall Council Chambers and Online

Over a century ago, Tumwater resident Susie Lewis suffered a chain of tragedies: abuse, broken homes, infidelity, murder, abandonment, divorce, a child’s death, a fatal disease. And her misfortunes continued even after she died. Curator Karen Johnson presents an illustrated true-crime talk about Susie’s life and loves, including the scoundrels who hounded her to an early grave.

Jackson-Goose Pond Marker Dedication

Edward Lange: An Early Artist in Thurston County

See how art and history combine to tell the story of Edward Lange, an artist who worked in Thurston County at the turn of the 19^th/20^th centuries. Born in Germany in 1846, Lange came to Long Island, New York in 1870 and moved to Olympia, Washington in 1889. For the next twenty-three years he created highly detailed drawings of farms, businesses and entire communities in Thurston County (and elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest). Lange died in 1912, but many examples of his amazing artwork still exist. They provide wonderful windows through which we can see the history of our area. In this illustrated presentation speaker Drew Crooks will include recently discovered images as well as new information.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Virtual Ruddell Pioneer Cemetery Tour

We are proud to present, in partnership with Pretty Gritty Tours, a virtual tour of the Ruddell Pioneer Cemetery in Lacey and the stories that led to its founding. Get to know the triumphs, lives, and tragedies that led to this historic cemetery being one of the most notable in Western Washington. This FREE hour long tour will help you know the background and incredible stories of some of the most amazing pioneer women buried here.

This event will be livestreamed on YouTube, but will also be available as a recording immediately following the event.

Play In the Parks – S.T.E.A.M. Museum

Presented By:

This hands-on education experience truly has something for everyone! From building an arch to programming a robot to 3D printing, exploring gravity, friction, and math with STEAM pinball, creating your own music with the Music Maker, and much more, there is so much to try! Designed for k-6 students.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Historical Commission Meeting

This meeting will be held in Council Chambers at Lacey City Hall. You can also join remotely by registering on Zoom or watching live on YouTube. Links will be available at least 48 hours before the meeting.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.

Historical Commission Meeting

The Historical Commission meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. and provides leadership in raising awareness of Lacey’s history and preservation of local historic resources.