The Washington State History Museum is open for visitors Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. Masks are required. Special hours on the third Thursday of each month, 10:00 AM-8:00 PM with free admission 3:00-8:00 PM.
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History Box rentals are paused due to COVID-19.

Want a great way to bring the museum into your classroom? Rent one of our History Boxes!

Filled with artifacts, images, classroom posters, maps, and curriculum materials, these boxes allow your students to experience history firsthand. We offer six History Boxes:

  • Coast Salish
  • Frontier Towns
  • Journey of Lewis and Clark
  • Makah Culture
  • One Hundred Years of Women’s History
  • Ring of Fire: Volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest

Because these boxes contain artifacts, someone from your organization must come to the Museum to pick up the box 10:00 AM-4:30 PM, Wednesday through Friday, and return the box Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 AM-4:30 PM. Note: Pickup is not available Saturday through Tuesday.

Reserve your history box today! Please make your reservation at least two weeks in advance.

Rental Fee: $35 per box for one week; $10 for each additional week.

For more information, contact the Education Department at 253-798-5876.

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Which History Box works for your classroom? Take a look inside.

Coast Salish

From British Columbia to the mouth of the Columbia River, many of Washington’s tribes share the same language. Learn about the culture and lifeways of Native peoples like the Twana, Nisqually, and Puyallup from artworks, weavings, and raw materials. Download a list of what’s inside!

Frontier Towns

The Frontier Towns box gives students a glimpse of what living on the Washington frontier was like. From trails to rails, your class will explore the Oregon Trail and pioneer life through maps, documents, cookbooks, artifacts and more! Get details about what is in this box.

The Journey of Lewis and Clark

Follow in the footsteps of the Corps of Discovery as they traveled west to the Pacific Ocean. Trade goods and explorers’ journals are among some of the items to be uncovered in the box about this historic journey. Get the list of contents for this box here.

Makah Culture

Go beyond whaling headlines with your class to study the traditions and stories of the Makah people. A wolf mask, rattle, basket, and drum are among the objects used to share tribal culture in this history box. Get the full list here.

100 Years of Washington Women's History

How has life changed for women in Washington over the past century? Your class will delve into the rise of women’s suffrage and the changing roles of women in society. This box provides a number of standalone activities, artifacts, and media designed to introduce women’s history to students. Download the content list for this box here.

Ring of Fire

Explore the historic interaction between the people of Washington and their ever-changing volcanic landscape. Developed in collaboration with Mount Rainier National Park and the United States Geological Survey, this box is a great way to integrate history, science and language arts in the study of Washington’s five volcanoes. See what’s inside this box!

Reserve a History Box