I need to start this review by saying I'm not the biggest art museum fan on the planet. I mean, I…read moreenjoy them, but I also don't go out of my way to visit in most cases. One exception is this absolutely exquisite museum in tiny little La Conner. I've visited here for years and always make a point of stopping in when I'm in town. Whoever curates their art deserves a huge raise because this place is never disappointing. From sculptures to paintings to mixed media, every artist they feature has an exquisite story to tell. And the best part? This museum is 100% free! They do have a bin where you can donate cash, but there's zero pressure to do so. And when you're done looking at the art (don't forget to check out the upstairs!), the museum gift shop has an amazing selection of art, postcards, books, gifts, and jewelry.

What a fun and impromptu visit. We were in town for lunch and stumbled across the Museum…read more It's well laid out and the exhibits are really unique and fun to explore. There are two stories with both stair and elevator access. The store also has lots of cool things to buy and we found some goodies for our 5 year old. I recommend coming by and taking a look.

A great place to check out the local history. There is 3 floors to check out each with its own…read moretheme. Free for military or veterans. Lots of cool stuff to see and read about. Very friendly and informative staff!

Really can't share my experience with you on this Museum because when we pulled up to the parking…read morelot and saw that it was supposed to be open till 5. I went and parked, started walking up only to see the employee locking the door. After inquiring, she said that she was volunteering for an event and she had to close the museum early today. There was no notice on the door when we were looking at the operating hours. When the employee drove off to her function....again there was no note left on the door apologizing for the inconvenience of not being open normal hours. I understand this is a small town, but it's not very business like to arbitrarily close up, leaving the patrons high and dry. Sad

I could walk here from my home. Lovely community and a must…read moreto visit if you're in the area.

I highly recommend this. Not just for kids but adults too. They have a very interactive museum, a…read morehands-On room and an aquarium. Everything is so interesting. Well laid out and highly interactive so this is a super engaging space for all ages.

It was fine, a little small town with a few restaurants. Quaint. There's a boardwalk with some…read morerestaurants, it's surprisingly popular here so it can be hard to find parking and make a reservation if you want to go to any of the restaurants. I wasn't blown away and I don't think we will be back, but I can see why people like it.

While heading back home after spending the day at Deception Pass State Park, we decided to go a…read moredifferent route, which allowed us to stop by the town of La Conner. I've never been to the annual tulip festival, so did not know about this charming town. But I sure am glad we stopped by here. La Conner is a small town by the Swinomish Channel in Skagit County. It really has that waterfront charm to it, with small, local businesses that line down the main street, with patio dining that looks out to the dock and boats. There were many areas for public seating, with tables and chairs set up by the public boardwalk. I loved how historic the buildings are here! Much of the buildings have plaques that indicate its original purpose and the year it was established. We also walked behind the business centre of town where a residential area is, and loved the Victorian-style homes here. You just don't see many houses like that in urban areas, reminding you of that small town flavor. We are already planning to spend a weekend here sometime! Because of its tourism from the annual tulip festival, the town has some lodging options and fun activities for visitors and locals. Glad to have to stopped by this charming part of the state.

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

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!

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.

The new location of the Pacific Northwest Naval Air Museum (on Ault Field Road) is much nicer than…read morethe previous location (Pioneer Way). The new location is designed from the ground up to house the show pieces and exhibits. Everything from the previous location is there, but nothing is crammed in. Having been a member of two of the squadrons featured there, I really enjoy visiting the exhibits of the two squadrons I served in. But there is a lot more to experience! The only downfall of the new location is that the PBY Catalina hasn't made the journey from Pioneer Way to Ault Field. YET! The management assured me, every time I ask, they are working on it and hope to have it join the rest of the exhibits soon.

Gem of a little museum that really could use your support!…read more THE ROSES: The PBY Memorial Foundation museum is dedicated to the men who flew PBY 'Catalina' flying boats from the nearby Oak Harbor seaplane base (now a municipal marina). For it's small size, it has a very well curated selection of artifacts and interactive displays. Particularly touching is a table set in remembrance of our POW/MIAs. Enthusiastic and well-informed volunteer staff are available to answer questions, but don't overwhelm you. Be sure to check out the PBY-5a Catalina across the street. THE THORNS: These guys really need a bigger facility. THE VERDICT: Superb little museum is a definite 'must visit' for history buffs. Highly recommend!

A must-visit while you're in Anacortes during the summer season. The cornerstone of the museum is…read morethe W T Preston steam-powered sternwheel snag barge. This Preston operated in the Puget Sound for decades removing snags, logs and hazards from the navigable waterways. The boat is well-preserved, with all of the gauges, controls, boilers and other equipment in place. The curators have binders full of pictures of the crew and operations over the years. You enter the boat in the engine room, are greeted by a curator, then turned loose to explore the rest of the vessel on your own. The first deck is machinery space, the second deck is crew accommodations and the third deck is the galley, wheelhouse and officer's quarters. $5 entry fee. I recommend setting aside about an hour to explore the boat and take it all in.