Last updated: 10/24/2020
Raymond, Washington
Address
310 Alder Street
Raymond, WA 98577

Hours

Tuesday - Saturday
12 PM - 4 PM
Special opening by request

Admissions

Free. Donations Accepted.

Staff

Peter Darrah
Tim Thompson
phone:
Description
Stowed in the Museum’s Hold to be discovered

Firstly we have tons of paraphernalia employed in Logging, Sailing, and Navigating. For example we have displays featuring shipyards, tugboats, lightships, lifeboats, and battleships. Moreover, there are Fishing Boats, Wooden Ferris “Tramp Ships” and The Great White Fleet.

Secondly you can learn to tie a bowline or a Matthew Walker knot. View ships’ crockery, scrimshaw, bos’n’s calls, cannons, spyglasses, and thole pins or Ponder the azimuth ring, taffrail log, and bearing board.

In addition, ask about our boarding pike, or how to use our linstock? Handle quadrantal spheres on a binnacle. Well, just grab a ships helm and steer. Order “Full Speed Ahead” on an Engine Order Telegraph. Above all, you’ll learn about the CAC, USLHS, USLSS, USSB, and the USLLHE.

Finally, find out more about President Teddy Roosevelt, Admiral George Dewey, and Admiral Matthew C. Perry. In conclusion, we have so much stuff!

Mission
The Mission of the Willapa Seaport Museum

1. To collect, preserve, interpret, and exhibit in a museum setting, open to the public, items, relics, stories, and other items of nautical significance.

2. To engage in promoting the appreciation and understanding of our culture and heritage as it pertains to the sea, ships, and associated marine activities and their special people.

3. To make a concerted effort to exhibit memorabilia in displays portraying the nautical nature of the timber industry

4. To collect pertinent reference material, audio, and visual and to maintain a library archive for public use.

5. To enhance the Raymond downtown waterfront area and actively participate in its redevelopment.

6. To instill and promote civic and patriotic pride in our Willapa Community.

History

Originating in Gig Harbor, WA., in many forms from the late 1960's thru the early 1990's when the City of Raymond offered a large building and a new dock for the Museums 100 ft. gaff headed topsail Ketch KRESTINE. The new Willapa Seaport Museum started in 1996 and was opened to the public in the summer of 1999 with an emphasis on the Willapa Harbor History.

Update: The Ketch KRESTINE was destroyed in 2006 by vandals and is no longer part of the museum.

Artifact Collections

In each exhibit venue we try to display a great variety. For example, in the First Peoples exhibit are whale bones, Indian baskets, beads, images, trinkets, and a spiritual broom. The Old Navy case displays swords, Civil War artfacts, Presidential signature from War of 1812, fine art, spyglass, uniforms, commissioning pennant as well as a ship model, watches and buttons. In our Pacific Rim area see liner silver, crockery, insignia, binnacle, Lucitania, Titanic, mosquito fleet and uniforms.

We welcome in house use of our 8000 vol maritime reference library and an archive of some 10,000 files on ships and related subjects. This Museum also offers use of a maritime study collection both in house and for use in schools.

Educational Programs

Willapa Seaport Museum hosts school tours by appointment. Special tours with our director acting as docent are available by special arrangement.

Small group lectures with traveling artifacts are available by special arrangement.

When groups tour or collection item are sent to schools or groups, a small contribution will requested on an individual basis.

Governance

The Willapa Seaport Museum is a 501c3 operated by the FRINK FOUNDATION.

Library
Access: Students, Scholars
Appointment required: Yes
Publications

Articles related to our displays are released through our Facebook page.

Services
Group Tours
ADA
Wheelchair Accessible
Parking
Restrooms
Exhibitions
Museum Events
DISCLAIMER
This information, including business hours, addresses and contact information is provided for general reference purposes only. No representation is made or warranty is given as to its content or the reliability thereof. User assumes all risk of use. Stories USA, Inc. and its content suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from such use. Please call ahead to verify the dates, the location and directions.

MUSEUM CONFERENCES

Georgia Association of Museums 2025 Conference

February 5 - 7, 2025

Milledgeville, Georgia

Small Museum Association 41st Annual Conference 2025

February 17 - 19, 2025

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2025 California Association of Museums Conference

February 18 - 22, 2025

San Fransico, California

Virginia Association of Museum's 2025 Annual Conference!

March 15 - 18, 2025

Blacksburg, Virginia

2025 Am Assoc for State and Local History Annual Conference

September 10 - 13, 2025

Cincinnati, Ohio

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