This place is awesome. We came here really by chance. We were directed here by our "AI" itinerary…read more(yep!) and had no idea it would be so great. Lovely Pacific Northwestern indigenous art, a remarkably professional and interesting exhibit inside of local flora and fauna (including a live tank of baby salmon, which you can find adult-size in the rivers around town); friendly person manning the desk and a cafe and gift shop that are not open every day so watch out for that. It's free - give them a donation, they really deserve it.

We stumbled upon this hidden gem while looking for Christmas lights at the Railroad Bridge Park as…read moreit's located in the same complex - what a find!! It was closed at night when we first visited but it looked so interesting that we had to come back the next day to check it out and am so glad we did! It's surprisingly large inside with a very interesting little exhibit room which is like a nature museum - full of information and displays on all the nature and wildlife of the surrounding Dungeness River ecosystem. They're all about education and conservation here so you know how much I loved that! One of my favorite things was their display of rain gauges giving you a visual example of the staggering differences in rainfall amounts around the area - mind blowing how much rain some of these places get! They partner with the local Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, the Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society and the National Audubon Society. They offer all sorts of nature and wildlife programs, field trips and conferences, as well as birding walks and other tours. The center has a gift shop and a satellite stand from Hurricane Coffee. We tried their Happy Camper (a blackberry mocha) and their Dark Raspberry Mocha and we couldn't resist the freshly made Blueberry Coffee Cake displayed - everything was delicious! They have quite a few benches and picnic tables outside, as well as a lovely bird garden that was just teeming with local species. They even have a "bird blind" viewing area inside where you can watch in secret so as not to scare the birds - it was awesome! They have plenty of clean restrooms and a huge parking lot so there's room for everyone. The GPS brings you right to the river center - but you may get confused bc it looks like you're driving through a remote rural neighborhood- but just trust it bc it's at the end of the road lol! Once you're finished exploring the river center, be sure to pop out back and explore the historic railroad bridge over the beautiful and huge Dungeness River!! So worth it!

We actually saw the outside of this mansion/castle 2 summers ago on a city tour excursion from our…read morecruise ship. This summer, we were on a road trip and took the ferry across from Port Angeles to Victoria for a few hours. This was a perfect stop before lunch, and this time we did a self guided tour of the interior. Super friendly people work here. The ticket seller was very nice, the greeter inside the castle set us on our way, and even the souvenir shop lady was exceptionally nice. Maybe its just that they're Canadian? Or maybe they're just...nice. lol Be advised that there's a lot of stairs to tackle on this tour. This is a perfect place to see if you only have a few hours in Victoria. We took a cab from the ferry dock and back later. It was a short ride so not too expensive. Crowd wasn't tooo bad at the time we went in July.

I was here for Upstairs Downstairs a production from a local improv theater company. It was lovely…read more A whole bunch of fun in a beautiful castle!! Wow! This place is cool! I recommend a visit here if you can swing it. So nice! Lots of history of course. When it was built, the tower was the highest place anyone could stand in Victoria.

I am an out-of-state transplant looking to explore all of Washington and its beauty. Last weekend,…read morewe decided to head up to the Dungeness Spit and make the walk out to the lighthouse! That trek is definitely not for the faint of heart -- it's an 11-mile round trip walk, making sure you have plenty of water and light snack or lunch. The tide should absolutely be taken into consideration before making the journey out there. It was a beautiful walk and such an interesting experience at the lighthouse. Hats off to all of the volunteers who dedicate their time to making that experience so special. Thank you for restoring and preserving the lighthouse for everyone to enjoy and experience. It truly made the trip unforgettable.

The longest walk I've ever done to get to a lighthouse. It's about 5 miles to and back, not…read moreincluding the walk from the parking lot. Direct sunlight, so wear a hat and sunblock. The nice part is you're next to the waters and there's sea shells and neat rocks to find along the way. Once you get to the lighthouse, you can go up to observe the views, and there's a bathroom. It's just a very long walk!

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.

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!

Small wonderful Marine Science Center. Kids will especially enjoy this experience…read more The calendar of events, especially educational based, are so helpful for appreciating the special marine environment around Port Townsend. There is a small collection of marine life, including a full killer whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling. The staff here are wonderful. Come here to support marine science and the local community.

First time visit, and yes, the main aquarium center is closed for the winter, but, such a charming,…read moreeducational place. Small gift shop when coming in and then stunning whale bones and displays ushers you forward! At the end, there's a kids-focused, hands-on experience. Looking at everything from marine anatomy to actual bones, fur and specimens. Take your kids or kids at heart here. Now!

The path not taken…read more.. Once upon a time, long before I had a driver's license, a pilot in Fairbanks, Alaska offered to help me get my pilot's license. What to say? Sighhhhhhh...the summer was short, my family was heading home, and it never happened. But.... Had I lived in Port Townsend, WA as a child, it could have. Indeed, it would have. I'd be flying the friendly skies of PT now, even as we speak. But, of course, I might not have time to do this review... www.ptaeromuseum.com I visited the Port Townsend Aero Museum three days days ago. T'was a bright spring day and I was loathe to go inside knowing that the three day forecast was for snow, snow, snow. Chipper Yelper that I am, I went inside the museum anyhoo, leaving the balmy outdoor weather to a small (teenaged) work crew landscaping the front of the building. If the kids were hard at work making the place beautiful for visitors, who was I not to reward their efforts? A small admission fee got me inside the new building. Airplane models hung from the rafters, beautifully restored planes had "landed" strategically about the floors. Placards described each plane and its role in history. Several planes (as noted on the placards) were currently in use as training craft for the young pilots who learn to fly at the museum. My entrance fee (donations from other visitors) is what keeps the fly lessons and the museum going. So I lingered for an hour or so, looking at airplane models, antique cars and some wonderful old flight helmets and gauges. I walked the catwalk around the inside of the tall building, looked at aviation paintings, watched other visitors as they entered the spacious hangar. DIdn't even notice that I was inside on a balmy day. I do have a suggestion or two for future museum exhibits: I'd have liked to have seen a motor, perhaps with its schematic nearby. I would have enjoyed brief "instructions" on the aerodyamics of flight. A checklist of preparations for lift-off and landing would have been fun to look at. (I am told that these are readily available through airplane manufacturers...so a generic list shouldn't be hard for the museum to find. ) There once was a wonderful old hand-lettered sign visible as you exited Jefferson International Airport, which is where the museum is located. It said "Don't forget to close your flight book." Perhaps an actual flight book would make interesting reading. Certainly the visitors' comment book does reflect the numbers of geographically distant folks who tour the museum but no space is included in it for visitors comments. This would be nice. But heck. Who am I to tinker with the success of this endeavor? This is a cool museum. Kids involved in its programs really *do* get the flight bug and occasionally do solo before they get their Washington State driver's license. And as for me? Well, I had a good time. Hopped into my ancient Saturn which was parked in the parking lot. Waved at the kids working on the landscaping. Scanned my gas gauge, speedometer and clock...and said to myself as I exited into the sunny Port Townsend afternoon... What if?? The road not taken. Or rather the runway not taken. Yet.

My son-in-law and I made our first visit to the museum on a September Saturday morning while our…read morewives were shopping at the farmer's market in town. The museum was farther out of town than expected, about a ten-minute drive south. We arrived around 10 am and found only three other cars in the parking lot. Our first impression was the museum's modern exterior. Inside was just as impressive. In the lobby, we each paid our $12 admission fee before heading in to see the three dozen or more general aviation aircraft on display. Most aircraft were parked on the floor, while another ten or so hung from the high ceiling. The parked aircraft each had a cookie sheet under the engine to catch oil drips. This makes sense, as they do fly all the aircraft on display that they legally can. After seeing the aircraft and checking out some interesting old photographs, we stopped at their bookstore of old used aviation books. I couldn't resist buying one about the 747. We were through the museum and back on the road in about an hour. We enjoyed the visit and will visit again, perhaps timed to a special event taking place there.

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.

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.

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.