featured exhibitions
Andrea Joyce Heimer: Holy Mountain
testends: January 8, 2023
Shown for the first time here at the Whatcom Museum, this group of autobiographical paintings by Andrea Joyce Heimer reflect on states of loneliness, both in herself and in others. […]
The Scene: A Journey Through Bellingham’s Musical Past
testends: November 20, 2022
From string bands on steamboats in the 1890s to alternative/indie rock bands today, for more than 100 years Bellingham’s music scene has embraced genres ranging from folk to classical to […]
Un/Natural Selections: Wildlife in Contemporary Art
testends: January 8, 2023
Un/Natural Selections: Wildlife in Contemporary Art considers the diverse ways that contemporary artists employ animal imagery to address humanity’s interconnectedness and ever-changing relationship with the natural world. Comprising of approximately […]
additional exhibitions
All is Not Lost
testends: December 31, 2022
Hundreds of glass negatives have been donated to the Whatcom Museum, often arriving in a damaged condition after decades of poor storage and rough handling. The pictures in this exhibition […]
New to the Collection: Carl Chew
testends: January 8, 2023
In conjunction with Un/Natural Selections: Wildlife in Contemporary Art, five new additions to the Whatcom Museum Collection by Seattle artist Carl Chew will be on display in the Lightcatcher building first […]
Not One of the Boys: The Psychedelic Posters of Bonnie MacLean
testends: November 20, 2022
Bonnie MacLean was just fine with designing handbills and taking tickets at her husband’s music venue, The Fillmore. But a falling out between husband Bill Graham and poster artist Wes […]
permanent exhibitions
Catalog of Past Exhibitions
testThe Whatcom Museum was established as a municipal entity in 1944 (then known as the Bellingham Public Museum), operating out of the 1892 Old City Hall building. The year 1968 […]
History Exhibits at Old City Hall
testOngoing; Old City Hall The Museum’s 1892 Old City Hall building features a variety of exhibits that tell the stories of the building’s architecture, the city’s early days, logging history, […]
John M. Edson Hall of Birds
testOpened March 16, 2017; Ongoing; Old City Hall This exhibit in Old City Hall provides a glimpse into the local history and culture of the Victorian Era, when taxidermy flourished […]
People of the Sea and Cedar: A Journey Through the Tribal Cultures and History of the Northwest Coast
testOngoing, Lightcatcher People of the Sea and Cedar, in the second floor gallery of the Lightcatcher building, shares the history and art of the Northwest Coast people, blending both historical […]
