" Abraham Lincoln would be proud of this Museum "…read more Abraham Lincoln once quoted " American History is not something dead or over, It always is alive, always growing, always unfinished ". My wife and I visited the Franklin County Historical Museum in Pasco, Washington last week and were so amazed at what we witnessed. The Museum was originally constructed in 1910 as part of Andrew Carnegie's worldwide library construction program. A new library was built in 1962, after which the building served several different business concerns, ending in a period of abandonment and neglect. In 1980 the Society was offered the opportunity to use the building as its museum. Between 1980 and 1982, the building was beautifully refurbished by volunteers. It opened to the public as the Franklin County Historical Museum on January 3, 1983. The Museum is managed by Sherel Webb the Franklin County Historical Society Administrator, and after talking with Sherel you can feel her passion and love for the Museum and it's future growth. Sherel pushes hard to follow the Historical Society's mission statement that " we shall preserve and promote the history of Franklin County through educational publications, programs, and the operation of the Franklin County Museum ". The Museum has two levels of exhibits, a gift shop, archives for research, meeting rooms for programs, memorial books, and monthly and quarterly publications. They also have Museum memberships available. Admission is Free, and donations are welcome. The display pieces in the Museum where fantastic, and brought back a lot of memories. It is definitely worth a trip to this small dessert town to see the History, and to learn more about the stories of the pioneers of Franklin County.

From the owner: Franklin County Historical Society and Museum captures the spirit and history of The Franklin…read moreCounty Historical Society shall preserve and promote the history of Franklin County through educational publications, programs, and the operation of the Franklin County Historical Museum.

Wow, this tour is AMAZING. It starts with a 15 minute video at the visitor center which explains…read morethe background of the geopolitical climate that prompted the construction of the reactor. It is the first large-scale nuclear reactor ever built, taking uranium and converting it into plutonium-239 (used in the Trinity test in New Mexico and the Fat Man bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan). Then there is a 45 minute bus ride to the B reactor itself (try to avail yourself of the restrooms at the visitor center, but there's a tour bus bathroom and port-a-potties at the reactor itself). The bus ride flew by as the docent talked about the area and his own experience as an engineer. Very engrossing. As you enter, there's another short presentation by a docent explaining the physics behind the reactor, and then you're set loose. There are also small docent-led presentations at specified times too if you want to get more into the nitty-gritty of the design and operation of the reactor. I wish I had more time at the reactor, maybe 15 more minutes, since there was so much to see and read. The exhibits were so well done!

Definitely worth a visit, though most of the buildings that once were on the site at the height of…read moreHanford's operations are no longer there. Everything went on schedule as described. The bus is a comfy coach and the 45 minute ride to the actual Reactor B is enlivened by the tour guide's info about the history and geology of the area, as well as providing background on the construction and challenges of putting together the entire site so quickly. Free bottled water is provided at the site, and there's a good mix of short talks by guides (about 15 minutes or so each) and time to walk around, read info on exhibits, and take photos. Visitor Center is clean, with chairs inside for waiting as well as benches outside. Because we'd driven almost 3 hours to the site, we took advantage of a shady bench to have our lunch. The timing of the 11:45am tour means you'll want to get something to eat before setting off, because you won't return to the Visitor Center for about 4 hours (and there is no food to purchase at the Center, and no food allowed inside the Reactor B building). There is, however, a place to eat next door to the Visitor Center (The Dive) where I can at least confirm that the beer and onion rings are excellent. We got lucky and had a relatively cool (80 degrees) day. Bathrooms at the actual park site (the reactor) are limited to portable toilets, but again, all the info presented from registration to the actual tour were clear, informative, and well done.

I really enjoyed this museum focused on the natural aspects of the Hanford Reach. Went in looking…read morefor information on one thing, and really explored both galleries. One focused on the geology and natural history of the Reach. Then the transition to the Hanford Project is punctuated with a movie. The second gallery was one focused on developing nuclear energy and the elements needed for nuclear weapons that would be the focus of the Cold War. Really insightful materials about Hanford's role during this period.

Great museum really outlines the historical and awesome ideas that the DOE and local people of the…read morearea for helping the geography and other ideas of halting the devastation from toxic waste. The Handford Reach Museum is surrounded by two giant metal rings that encompass the whole museum. It's out by the Columbia River and has lots of different historic artifacts from the 1940s It is meant for all ages because they have guided tours all the time and the tour guide tell ya all the facts Like I said in the comment before the tour guide tell ya all the facts lots of posters and signs to tell a person whats what the reason is kind of a biased one because I took my senior pictures at this museum.

Had a great time. They had a game where you find things that are out of place. If you find them,…read moreyou get a little prize. This makes learning fun for the kids. We will visit again when we are in town.

This museum is clearly a labor of love for its staff. We were greeted by the curator upon entry…read more She and all of the staff we encountered were wonderfully friendly and kind. Is it the most high-end museum? No. But it is informative and has a lot of very interesting items in the collection. I need to come back when the weather is warmer and you're able to look inside the pioneer village cabins. For me, the pioneer village area is the highlight of this museum. They have acquired various historic buildings from around the region and transported them to the museum grounds, including a prison, several family cabins, a blacksmith shop, a barber shop, and more. This place is a bit provincial, yes, but it's been created and maintained by local people who take pride in the history of their region. I greatly enjoyed it.

The Wanapum Heritage Center conveys the beliefs and character of the Wanapum people. At the same…read moretime it preserves their history with rich oral histories and examples of their work to pass their beliefs and love of their land to their future generations. If you take the time to watch their video, take in the view of the river and surrounding areas, and hear their message you may also find a new and enlightened view of what the people and land around you stand for. It is a unique and effective approach. You won't regret a visit to this center which was funded by the Grant County PUD. One unique factor of the Wanapums is that they never signed a treaty, do not associate with a reservation and therefore do not qualify for the federal assistance provided on reservations. The center is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Stop in for a visit.

I had a great visit and spent about an hour wandering through the Wanapum Heritage center. First of…read moreall, the building itself is a beautiful piece of architecture that's worth exploring just on its own. The nice lady, working at the front desk welcomed me and explained a few things to me that I would not have otherwise Known. The black-and-white photography by Carl Lewis of the dam project being built is outstanding. The part of the heritage Center dedicated to the Wanapum people is beautifully laid out and includes a theater with a 20 minute video. This is a great stop to make a part of your journey or to spend a few hours and bring a picnic to eat outside on a nice day.

Can you believe this was gonna be demolished to be a freaking parking lot? LUCKILY, some good…read morecitizens of Walla Walla prevented this from happening, by saving the Kirkman House Museum and restoring it as a museum, to tell the story of the Kirkman Family. We visited the Kirkman House Museum, which was such a memorable part of our time in Walla Walla. Located downtown, it's an italianate-style, brick house that was built in the late 1800's, during when Walla Walla was the biggest city in the northwest! Designed and built by William Kirkman, he came to Walla Walla to make his fortune from the agricultural industry, becoming a well-established businessman in Walla Walla. The house later became an apartment building where they added on to it on the backside and another entrance, and then it was proposed to be demolished into a parking lot. Now, it serves as a museum, showcasing the Kirkman Family's lifestyle and contribution to Walla Walla, as well as the Adam West Library! In fact, that's how most of the museum gets visitors, for they come here to see Batman's corridors. Yes, the Batman/Adam West Library is really cool, especially because the bookcase slides and becomes a hidden wall where Batman slides down the pole! And it's awesome that the city of Walla Walla is so proud to have famous Walla Walla native, Adam West as their local hero, with memorabilia of his time in Batman and in Family Guy, in addition to his younger days at Lakeside School and so forth. (They even have an Adam West Day every year in town where everyone dresses up as Batman!) But I implore you to check out the other parts of the house, which I find more interesting. You get a real sense of what Walla Walla was like back in the day, based off the lifestyle of the Kirkman Family. There's even a room that shows old maps and pictures of what the city used to look like in the late 1800's when it was the most prosperous city in the area. The rooms are all decorated to that time period, and you can see some original furnishings that the family owned like the piano, photographs, decorative figurines, etc... Plus, Fanny Ann's room is haunted, so there's that. I hope for everyone to visit and support the Kirkman House Museum, which is a wonderful attraction site of this town. The non-profit that runs the museum is all volunteer-based. Admission is $7 and they do host fun events, like murder mystery dinners and Victorian tea time. A true charm to Walla Walla!

What a surprisingly great find. We originally visited the museum due to the Batman exhibit we…read moreheard about. The Docent (Ms Priest?) was filled with wonderful insights and stories of the history of the Kirkmans and the community. The Batman exhibit was certainly good but the Kirkman story was mesmerizing. Well worth the time to stop in.

I spent a couple of days in Pendleton and stumbled upon this on Yelp. Just a heads-up, you'll need…read moreto book a reservation because the groups tend to fill up quickly--we had 17 people in our group! This was definitely more than we were expecting! The tour was about 1.3 hours long, and you'll need to climb and descend stairs and squeeze into small spaces. If any of that sounds like a challenge, it might not be the right fit for you. Our tour guide was "BRAD," and he was amazing! He's practically "been there, done that." He grew up exploring these tunnels with his friends and has all sorts of stories to share. You'll learn a lot about the history and some simple sayings that will make you laugh and give you a deeper understanding. For example, there's a "Shoot" of whiskey! From the outside, you have no idea how huge this place is, and we only get to see a small part. Don't miss out if you get the chance. We'd definitely go back and bring a friend who hasn't seen it before.

We signed up for the adults (21+) only tour which was $30 a person. It started in the shamrock…read moreunderground bar. The price of the ticket included a free drink token, 3 shots during the tour, and a sample of a local meat company. The tour was led by Matt and is meant for mature adults who don't get upset or offended by certain language. It was such a fun tour. Matt told us the history while making it fun throughout the whole 2 hour tour. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to add a little bit more fun to the tour.

great visit. lots of information about the local nations and their background, including tribal…read moreelders to talk to. they had just opened an exhibit on horses in bead art, and that was pretty cool. wonderful history and helps to break down the various local tribes and their heritage.

The Tamastslikt Cultural Institute depicts the past, present and future of the tribes along the…read moreOregon Trail. The Cultural Institute shows the daily life, beliefs, and experiences of the Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Cayuse tribes who live in eastern Oregon. It's got a spectacular building on Oregon's High Desert, with amazing views of the Blue Mountains. The Cultural Institute has something for everyone- there are dioramas where you can experience daily life, one can see what it would be like in a boarding school, storytellers, beautiful views. There's Kinship Cafe serving up Indian tacos, salmon nachos, and huckleberry desserts (a fairly new addition) Tamastslikt Cultural Institute provides an indigenous voice and perspective along the Oregon Trail. Admission for adults is $10, youth are $7, kids 5 and under are free. Tickets are good for two days if one day is not enough. A spectacular, respectful, fascinating stop on the Oregon Trail.