Due to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) emergency, the Bigelow House Museum will be closed until further notice. Please scroll down for information on our $25 for 25 campaign! Thank you for your patience.





Join us in exploring, preserving and promoting Olympia’s history. We are a non-profit membership-based organization presenting the stories from our past to enrich the present and inform the future of Olympia. The Bigelow House Museum, owned and operated by the Society and Museum, is the oldest residence in Olympia, Washington, and one of the earliest still standing in the Pacific Northwest.

Society News

Sylvester’s Window now on our website

We are pleased and excited to announce a major new addition to our website. Lynn Erickson’s delightful and educational project, Sylvester’s Window, consisting of eight watercolor cityscapes by artist Robert Chamberlain, along with extensive accompanying materials, has been scanned and available to everyone for the first time on line. The materials are fully word-searchable and a rich source of information about our city’s history. The reproductions and materials are made possible by special arrangement with Ms. Erickson. Launch your visit here: https://olympiahistory.org/sylvesters-window/

Support the Society and Museum through the $25 for 25 Campaign!

September 2020 marks 25 years since the official opening of the Bigelow House Museum in 1995. We had planned a special event but because of COVID-19 that won’t be happening. The Bigelow House Museum is closed for the foreseeable future. In addition, we have had to make the difficult decision to cancel our biggest fundraiser, the Holiday Tour of Homes.

In honor of the 25th anniversary of the Museum, as well as cancellation of fundraising events, we are asking our friends to consider an extra donation this year. We recognize that economic fallout from the pandemic may make this difficult for some. However, please do consider a $25.00 donation or whatever amount you can give to help ensure the future of the Bigelow House Museum and Olympia Historical Society. Click on the Donate button at the right of this page, where you can donate $25 or any other amount to this campaign, either with a credit card or your Paypal account. Or you can mail a check to us; go to our Get Involved page for more information. If you are not yet a member of the Society and Museum, please consider visiting our Membership page and joining now!