Bainbridge Island Historical Museum Tours

Bainbridge Island Historical Museum
Bainbridge Island Historical Museum featuring interior views
Bainbridge Island Historical Museum featuring signage
Bainbridge Island Historical Museum showing a park and outdoor art
Bainbridge Island Historical Museum featuring interior views


Delve into the history of this thriving island community, from petroglyphs to the game of pickleball, at this tidy, well-curated museum.

Get to know Bainbridge Island and its interesting past when you visit Bainbridge Island Historical Museum, a 35-minute ferry ride away from Downtown Seattle. From shipbuilding, agriculture and Japanese American exclusion to secret wartime missions, the museum’s collections tell tales of this diverse island community.

Learn a bit about the history of the museum. In 1908, island residents built the Island Schoolhouse at Island Center, where it would become one of the area’s last one-room schoolhouses in operation. In 1972, the schoolhouse was donated to the museum and moved to Strawberry Hill Park. Today, the museum consists of two buildings, one of which is the former schoolhouse. The museum is continually growing and changing, offering new exhibits and public programming.

Hear the stories of the Suquamish people, who have long been a part of Bainbridge Island and Agate Passage, the Puget Sound strait between Port Madison and mainland Kitsap County. Read about their hunting and gathering practices that took advantage of the land’s bounty, including fish, cedar trees, deer and shellfish.

Move on to discover the story of one of the most productive sawmills in the world, which spurred on employment and immigration to the Puget Sound region.

If you arrived by ferry, take time to honor the legacy of Bainbridge’s most important form of transportation. Before 1950, when a bridge was built, the island was accessible by water only. This meant canoes for the Suquamish people. Later, a mosquito fleet of smaller passenger and ferry boats brought workers and residents to the island. Today, the iconic Seattle ferry system runs between the Downtown area and the island’s Winslow ferry terminal several times a day.

Additional exhibits include the story of pickleball, a favorite local pastime. The teen music scene, Japanese American exclusion in World War II, the importance of the shipbuilding industry and the island’s vital agricultural economy are also featured.

Visit the Bainbridge Island Historical Museum Friday through Sunday. It is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission is free and public parking is available nearby.

Plan a trip to see Bainbridge Island Historical Museum

Price found within the past 48 hours. Click for updated prices.
Sultan, Dutch Cup Motel
1 Hotel Seattle
Level Seattle Downtown - South Lake Union

Popular places to visit


Best Lodging Options Near Bainbridge Island Historical Museum

Quality Inn & Suites Bainbridge Island

Quality Inn & Suites Bainbridge Island

2.5 out of 5
920 Hildebrand Lane NE, Bainbridge Island, WA
Quality Inn & Suites Bainbridge Island
The Marshall Suites

The Marshall Suites

3.5 out of 5
350 NE High School Road, Bainbridge Island, WA
The Marshall Suites
Marshall Suites Bainbridge Island, SureStay Collection by BW

Marshall Suites Bainbridge Island, SureStay Collection by BW

2.5 out of 5
350 High School Rd NE, Bainbridge Island, WA
Marshall Suites Bainbridge Island, SureStay Collection by BW
Stunning Beach Suite, great mountain & water views, near downtown Winslow, Cozy.

Stunning Beach Suite, great mountain & water views, near downtown Winslow, Cozy.

Bainbridge Island
Stunning Beach Suite, great mountain & water views, near downtown Winslow, Cozy.
Bainbridge Island Dome Tent on a Farm with a Pool

Bainbridge Island Dome Tent on a Farm with a Pool

Bainbridge Island
Bainbridge Island Dome Tent on a Farm with a Pool
Artsy Farmstay on Bainbridge with a pool!

Artsy Farmstay on Bainbridge with a pool!

Bainbridge Island
Artsy Farmstay on Bainbridge with a pool!
The Inn at Pleasant Beach

The Inn at Pleasant Beach

3 out of 5
4633 NE Woodson Lane, Bainbridge Island, WA
The Inn at Pleasant Beach
Pleasant Beach Getaway - Breathtaking Puget Sound Views and Steps from the Beach

Pleasant Beach Getaway - Breathtaking Puget Sound Views and Steps from the Beach

Bainbridge Island
Pleasant Beach Getaway - Breathtaking Puget Sound Views and Steps from the Beach
Water view high bank two bedroom private border Manchester State Park.

Water view high bank two bedroom private border Manchester State Park.

Port Orchard
Water view high bank two bedroom private border Manchester State Park.
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.