Don't be intimidated by the security gate - this place is super family friendly and FREE! Great…read morestop on a road trip where you can pop in the discovery center and learn, as well as let the kids (and your dog) play outside on the playground and beautifully landscaped grounds. All the employees (security and those in the discovery center) seemed super happy to share insights and were very welcoming. Plus there were water bottle fill stations and CLEAN family bathrooms. We will be back!

Very informative, fun for kids. Lots of information. The most fun game was downstairs. There is a…read morevideo screen and you're the captain. You're trying to navigate your boat through the rapids and he rocks complete with sound and video effects . The give you tours to walk across to see the turbines. Talk about the fish, fish ladders and how they're trying to preserve the fish swimming out to the ocean.

Parking is available on-site and in front of the building for free of charge. When I visited the…read moreWenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Centre in the summer of 2021, hand sanitizer was provided by the front desk and masks were required due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The worker at the front desk was friendly and helpful in getting the admission purchased and getting us on our way exploring the museum. Exhibits span multiple floors across a main building and an annex. My favorite exhibit was the one on the Great Northern Railway, located upstairs in the main museum building. Informational placards were spaced around a model train system (diorama) that one could signal the model train to run. The scene the train ran included depictions of the actual railway and moved slow enough we could walk along with it as it traversed the model tracks. The information did a good job incorporating the physical geography, natural hazard, and social aspects that played a significant role in the building and establishment of the railway. The second exhibit I found captivating was the apple industry-related exhibit located on the ground-level in the annex. I have lived in Washington State for over 20 years and am familiar with the importance the fruit carries for the state, however the exhibit did a good job of highlighting some of the technical aspects of day-to-day work in the apple industry and the importance of the industry in Wenatchee Valley more specifically. Appreciated the local-context the information posted provided. All around the exhibits were wonderful and I especially loved the Liberty Organ, it was my first time seeing the innards of an organ like that.

A friend of mine was giving a presentation here earlier in the year, and I dropped by for moral…read moresupport. This museum is located downtown, and from what I could see, the focus is on local history. It sounds like this museum has several programs & presentations throughout the year and offer the community many interesting exhibits. So if you want to get the lowdown on the Native communities of the area, or what life has been like in this beautiful part of the country, you should drop on by.

I'm sure part of it is nostalgia, but this museum is great. There is so much history surrounding…read moreGrant County and Ephrata and the people who volunteer at the museum are incredibly knowledgeable. The best time to go is during Sage n' Sun weekend because they have people dress up and act like the first settlers to this area. There's a pretend gun fight and all sorts of fun stuff. Mick Qualls is usually set up in the Newspaper building and he can tell you anything you want to know. Mabel Thompson used to teach in Grant County and at over 100 years old she still sits in the school answering questions visitors to the museum during Sage n' sun. You also get to wear a sticker saying how long you've lived in Ephrata which is fun. It's a great experience and every child and adult living in the area should go.

Very nice museum, well put together. The outdoor area is one of the nicest we've seen. Well worth…read moregoing to this museum.

I completely enjoyed our visit to this gem. So much so, that we went back a second time! It is…read moresurprising how much is on display, and the wonderful variety of Pioneer and Native American items. I loved the chaps made from Buffalo hair, and the old organs that won't play unless one pumps the foot petals. Of course, the outside village is an amazing collection of settlers' cabins and other structures, all with period-appropriate furnishings. I'm in a wheelchair; I found the museum to be very accessible. Admission is $10-12 at most, and Veterans are free. But seriously, consider making a donation anyway. These wonderful places require so much upkeep. We don't want to lose them!

On Saturday 11 September 2021, I visited the Cashmere Museum and Pioneer Village as a solo female…read moretraveler. The front desk worker was a bit brusque in their interactions, however there were a few of us entering at once, so it might have just been a bit overwhelming for them. As someone on a budget, the price was a little on the high side, however nothing exorbitant. The exhibits were easy to navigate and good use was made of the available space. Artifacts were meticulously laid out both inside the main museum and in the pioneer village. The Great Northern Railway car was open to exploration, which was very neat. The whole pioneer village was well maintained and a great way to get some context for what life in Cashmere was like in the past. I noted a few bloopers on my visit, one concerning geology and one concerning currency. Some people I know love bloopers, in Hollywood they are something that might go wrong in constructing/putting together a movie and are visible in the final product, and they feel it can add to the overall experience. However, I am not currently the biggest fan of bloopers, though I used to enjoy them more, perhaps I am just a bit rusty on their enjoyment value.

Glow in the dark rocks! I was in town for a wedding and happened upon this museum while…read moregeocaching. What a gem! I only had time to explore one room but the time I spent talking with Lori was so fun and informative. I even got to hold a meteorite! The building is full of interesting history and the staff are eager to show you around and tell you the stories. Be sure to ask them to turn out the lights so you can see the fluorescent rocks. It was so cool! Grab a cold drink in Wenatchee then head up the hill. You'll be glad you made time to visit Waterville!

What a great little gem in the sleepy town of Waterville. We made an unexpected stop here and they…read morehave quite the mineral collection on one side and local history in the rest. My favorite part was the old electrical meters that had been removed from around town. They were labeled with year of manufacture, removal date and building it served. A great stop and very helpful person at the information desk!

Road trip with the family and heard about this place. We had an amazing time here. First of all the…read moretown of Winthrop is a super quaint town preserving the history of the first settlers in the area. Everything-the store fronts, stores is western themed. Anyway the Shafer Museum is a historically preserved town established by one of the area's pioneer families. There were buildings which showcased the lives of the families back then. Our grandsons enjoyed the scavenger hunt a lot- the prize was a gum-ball from an old fashioned gum ball machine which was pretty cool in itself. Take your time explore the different buildings-we took about little over a hour and a half. This is a must stop place when visiting Winthrop. No admission fee but please donate generously because the maintenance and administration is done by volunteers

This is a fascinating collection. It covers more than just mining and exhibits stage coaches, farm…read moreequipment, home furnishings, and more, each in a unique small building. It's definitely a must-see if in town. Admission is by donation.

This museum was way more than I expected before visiting. For a $5 entrance I was expecting a short…read morewalk through, but I easily spent over an hour looking at all the nutcrackers! It was very cool to learn about their history and see antiques as well as newer donations. They also had many photo ops and scavenger hunts fit for kids and adults. Worth the visit!

So I will be completely honest, I wanted to go to the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum. Yes, me, a…read moregrown adult, with no children in tow, just me and my love for quirky, niche museums. No invisible kids, no excuses. I was so excited to finally check it out. After a long ferry ride from Stehekin and a not-so-long drive from Chelan to Leavenworth, I thought we had made it just in time to sneak in before closing. Sadly, I found out the hard way that the museum stops selling tickets 30 minutes before closing (noted on the website - oops) and we arrived five minutes too late. I was disappointed but it just wasn't meant to be. What was meant to be, however, was the gift shop. And let me tell you - this is not your average souvenir shop! It's more like a mini preview of the museum as there were hundreds of nutcrackers on display for purchase and/or admiration. There were traditional German nutcrackers, themed ones (sports, professions, holidays), and even some that were so cute and whimsical. I spent a little time marveling at the variety and craftsmanship. Soooo yes, I got my nutcracker fix even without a ticket to the full museum! From what I could see (and from their website), this place has over 9,000 nutcrackers from more than 50 countries with artifacts dating all the way back to the Roman Empire. It's the kind of collection rarely found in the United States and the museum's mission to preserve and educate about the history and artistry of nutcrackers is honestly so cool. If I'm ever in Leavenworth again, I would try to time it better to try to actually visit the museum. For now, I'm giving a solid four stars because while I didn't get to explore the full museum, the sheer delight of the gift shop, the ambiance, and the nutcracker overload still made it a great stop. Another unique gem tucked in the heart of this Bavarian town, errr, Leavenworth!