If you are looking for an usual experience on Orcas Island do not forego visiting this very special…read moreprivate museum that has over 800 works of art from 250 San Juan Island artists. It features the largest collection of HELEN Loggie's work and an extensive collection from James Hardman all in an exquisite architectural setting on the water with breathtaking views complete with follies. It is breathtaking and will provide you with inspiration and awe along with thanks that people like Leo Lambiel exist in this world.

Leo Lambiel's guided tour of his awesome home cum museum is awesome, and well worth the $20 fee per…read moreperson. His taste in art by San Juan Islands artists is eclectic -- inspiring, humorous, ironic, abstract, representational -- in a range of media. The house reflects his own craftsmanship in construction and decoration, and grew from its origins as a cabin to a mansion of many rooms, soaring ceilings, windowed walls, and outdoor stairways. Leo's folly is the grotto, which he continues to work on after 17 years. Wine also is his passion, and his wine room has patterned walls made of used corks. Altogether, a wonderful tour.

For a smaller museum, taking only about 20 minutes to walk through, it is a fantastic museum,…read moreshowcasing Orcas Island history. The docent that greeted us was friendly and informative, telling us that the museum was at one time six separate one-room residences that were dismantled and rebuilt to make this current museum. Full of many early and late century household items, placard's describing the way of life on the island, and has loads of interesting artifacts, photographs, and materials showing Orcas Island early community and civilization.

There's so much to see in this little house. I'm particularly awed by the display of the submarine…read morecables which brought power to Orcas and the nearby islands. There are displays of cobblers and black smiths which are well preserved.

I love orcas, and I love this museum. Great video, great information, and a good time…read more Chair lift available, bathrooms were clean, chairs for sitting all around, and the employees were friendly. Check the schedule before going.

It was quite a small museum. When you enter, you are in the gift shop. From there you purchase…read moreadmissions which I believe was $12 then head up the stairs to the museum. There were some interesting things to look at but I expected more. We spent about 20-30 minutes in the museum.

As a Seattle resident and RBCM member, I keep coming back because the museum is spectacular. While…read moreI was very disappointed to see the Old Town exhibit (one of the most incredible I've ever seen) removed during the museum's "decolonization" process, I believe that part of the region's history could have been thoughtfully presented alongside First Nations stories and culture rather than taken away entirely (like it or not, they are intertwined, warts and all). I just don't get it. That said, the RBCM continues to hit curatorial home runs. Its exhibits are consistently imaginative, engaging, and beautifully designed--whoever leads their creative direction is a bloody genius.

My husband and I are from The States. We are in town visiting family. We visited the Royal BC…read moremuseum and were very impressed! Senior discounts. The displays told a story from the dinosaurs all the way to modern Victoria. Everything was so thought out and interesting. The museum also had a limited time Egyptian display that was fascinating with tombs, everyday utensils and personal items and other artifacts. A lot of information of what was believed to be the afterlife. Highly recommended!

NOT the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park. Due to some of the pictures and reviews, I thought the…read moresculpture garden was here. It is not. The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park is on the other side of the island at 9083 Roche Harbor Road San Juan Island, WA 98250. This museum was great, but not the one we were looking for.

I'm a part-time San Juan Islander and a regular visitor to SJIMA. Over the years, I have been…read moreincredibly impressed by the professional presentation of art at SJIMA. I go to a lot of museum exhibitions. I found SJIMA to present an exhibition that is better than any museum in Washington; better than SAM, better than Bainbridge, etc. I'm not sure what has changed; maybe staff is getting complacent, but the last two exhibitions have been incredibly disappointing. The current exhibition of Andy Eccleshall is flat, does not flow and the lighting is terrible. It really is a disservice to Eccleshall as his work is fantastic. The work in the glass room in front looks like a college student's exhibition. The volume of work in the small room is overwhelming and average at best. Again, something must have changed because the last two exhibitions are not up to what my expectations are for SJIMA. I will probably check out the next one but if it is at the level of the last two, I won't be wasting my time or money again.

The Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC reopened on June 13, 2024, after an 18 month closure for…read morestructural & reno work. The MOA is back & even more grand than before. Do not think the Natural History Museum in London or the Met in Manhattan. That would be an - apples & oranges comparison, with the former two leading the way when it comes to museums worldwide. The MOA while not as grandiose as the Met, really stands out on its own showcasing mainly First Nations art along with other various artwork. It is a splendid museum. Budget to easily spend a minimum 3 to 5 hours here but definitely give yourself more time & do not rush. There's a lot to see here. There are guided tours available with your paid entry fee. Check at the front desk for more information. Make a note to also go outside of the museum & check out the Totems. Make sure you have a big brekkie or lunch before coming here. The cafe here sells limited items & you cannot bring drinks or food into the museum. Do check online for opening hours in order to give yourself enough time here. Limited parking is available. I parked at the Student Union building then walked over to the MOA along Main Mall & then through the Rose Garden to get here - approximately a 20 minute walk one way. It wasn't cheap but I was with visitors from out of town, so I didn't mind as I was showing them around UBC at the same time. Honestly, I can't wait to go again.

This is one of the most fabulous Museums I have been to for Archaeology. It is well run and the…read morecollections are stupendous. There are drawers filled with treasures that you can pull out and look at. The huge totem poles, alone, are worth the visit.

New items on display as of today. Enjoyed both the Old City Hall location and the Lightcatcher…read morebuilding.

Nice place to come and learn some history of Bellingham. We stopped for the Christmas tree display…read moreand loved seeing the birds display also on the third floor

Fantastic museum! I learned so much. The docents are wonderful. One of them helped me finally…read moreunderstand the difference between AC and DC. There are many interactive exhibits. I got to play with a switchboard, plugging in the wires that used to connect calls; I got to type my name in Morse Code on a functioning telegraph key; and I got to play a theramin.

This is a must visit in Bellingham. Such a cool place to explore history in an experiential way.read more

Miniature World has some truly impressive displays, and there were several miniatures that were…read moreincredibly detailed and beautifully crafted. It was clear that a lot of time and talent went into many of the exhibits. That said, the experience felt a bit inconsistent. Some areas were much more engaging than others, and a few of the displays didn't have the same level of detail. At times, multiple audio narrations were playing at once, which made it difficult to focus and became a little overwhelming. We also noticed that several of the interactive buttons and TV displays weren't working during our visit. For $19, I don't regret stopping by, but it just wasn't quite what I was expecting. For me, it's more of a one-time attraction than somewhere I'd visit again. If you enjoy miniature art and displays, it may be worth checking out, but it ultimately wasn't the right fit for my interests.

We had scoped out this as a place to stop with our 4 yr old. We walked over and her entry was free…read more She enjoyed all the buttons to push and the displays, the beginning part through "space" and all the castles and trains. We appreciated the stop. In general, I'm not sure if I would go out of my way to come back but with kids who like small things, trains, dioramas, it was worth doing! I think we were in and out in about an hour. I bet some kids could zoom through in less time (then maybe not worth the price?) and some kids might take 1.5-2 hours, so maybe try to gauge if you think its something you/your family would enjoy. Some displays had buttons that didn't work but for the most part if you looked or read the placard you could figure out what was going on.