It's Time to Rally Around Our State History Museum
Thanks to the vigilance and eloquence of Tacoma’s journalists, most of the city is now aware that Gov. Gregoire’s budget proposal for the next biennium calls for the temporary closure of Tacoma’s Washington State History Museum. You can read about the budget proposal here. At Exit133, we stand united with those who are emphasizing the economic, cultural, symbolic and historic value of this treasured institution.
Of course, at the moment, the Governor’s proposal is just that – a proposal. But the budget gap this proposal attempts to rectify is quite extreme, and every measure contemplated in its calculations is correspondingly extreme. So, much like a spousal candidate’s proposal of marriage, it’s a proposal for which alternatives are not necessarily considered ideal (to say the least).
While proclamations of support by our City Council and journalists are important, we must keep in mind that they do not protect our History Museum or alter the legislative gauntlet that lies ahead. To be effective, these proclamations must inspire Tacoma’s citizens to actively express their support of keeping the museum open. If we don’t want our museum to be “temporarily” closed for an as-yet undetermined length of time (think years, not months), the time for a groundswell of citizen activism is now. The state legislature will enter budget negotiations by March or early April at the lastest. We must make an impression before that time arrives. If we do not, the lights will go off in the museum, and we will have to fight this very same battle for funding two, three or four years down the road. And who’s to say we’ll win then?
To a congress facing a host of politically daunting cuts, the temporary closure of a cultural services facility – like a museum – will seem attractively insignificant. Despite this, as reported in the TNT this morning, Tacoma’s Washington State History Museum has a great deal of political support – and a rapidly-growing lobbying effort organized by our Chamber of Commerce. These individuals and political organizations seek to emphasize that the Museum is a key anchor in the redevelopment of downtown Tacoma, and as such, its economic significance to this city cannot be measured in terms usually applied to a museum.
In my conversation with Dave Nicandri, executive director of the state historic society, we talked about the importance of the museum and Historic Society to diverse cultural groups. We discussed its state-wide impact as the primary trustee of our collective stories. That kind of outreach is not done for political or fiscal reasons, but because it is the key to keeping our State’s history alive – or, in Dave’s words, “Because it’s the right thing to do.” As citizens, it’s our turn to do the right thing.
After years of cautious reserve, we are beginning to see signs of recovery in Tacoma’s commercial areas – Midtown Lofts, a potential Downtown grocer, new restaurants. If one of the most conspicuous buildings in Tacoma is left effectively and symbolically empty, it would present a much more significant obstacle to continued urban development than we can even begin to predict. The Washington State History Museum project was the harbinger of a new momentum for downtown Tacoma, and in many ways, made the UWT concept truly viable. We cannot weaken in our resolve to maintain that momentum.
The downtown renaissance (to borrow a cheesy term) inspired by the Washington State History Museum in the late 1990s proves that economies do recover. And now, more than a decade later, the new signs of life in Tacoma’s economy indicate that the future does not have to be bleak. To close the museum now – just as things are starting to look better – would be an unnecessary sacrifice, and needlessly place at risk a still-fragile economy.
Lawmakers will not understand the special importance of the History Museum unless Tacoma’s residents take the time to express it to them. The voice of Tacoma’s citizens must be joined with existing political support and lobbying if a profound impression is to be made. The battle to keep the Museum open will be fought in state legislative committees. To voice your support for this key institution, contact your legislator. This webpage will help you identify and contact your representative in the state legislature. You can also contact House Budget Committee Vice Chairwoman Jeannie Darneille to encourage her continued support of the Museum.
…and remember! Don’t just read. Write or call our lawmakers. Any one of these articles make great “copy and paste” material for letters and emails.
FOR FURTHER READING
An article on the effect of the recession on museums nationwide
A Downtown Business-owner’s perspective on the WSHM
The Bellingham Herald considers the Tacoma WSHM
The Tacoma Weekly takes on the issue
Peter Callaghan’s excellent column about the importance of history, despite economic trials
(Photo by Todd Matthews)
Filed under: History
49 comments
R RR Anderson January 9, 2011
WSHM is the Chucke Cheese of history
R RR Anderson January 9, 2011
I mean come on people! It’s terrible! Can nobody else see it?
C crenshaw sepulveda January 9, 2011
Tear down the fence and we’ll talk.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 9, 2011
The museum IS creating a dead zone. Between that fence and the horrible frontage on Pacific the museum is a black hole that repels life from that side of the street. The museum brings nothing at all to life on Pacific and quite in fact repels life. Shutting it down is the best solution for the state budget and life on Pacific. If the museum wants to prove me wrong all they have to do is to tear down that fence.
S Squid January 10, 2011
Why a State museum of history and not art or flight or cars or maritime heritage, or … Privatize it and let it compete like the others do for public grants. All the benefits of the history museum can also be applied to other museums, which are private, non-profit, non-state entities.
C captiveyak January 10, 2011
If everything is left to the mercy of the market and competition, we’ll be a nation with a history of Pizza Hut and a future of Justin Bieber Chow Mein Houses.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 10, 2011
Can the museum act in good faith with the people of Tacoma and the rest of the state and tear down that fence. Do we really want to support institutions that bring blight to our downtown and hold hostage one of the city’s treasures? What would Justin Beiber do?
M Mofo from the Hood January 10, 2011
I’m not so sure that Tacoman’s care about the historical significance of Pizza Hut. What troubles many of us is the incident whereby Pizza Haven closed shop on 6th Avenue and the State of Washington moved in and turned the building into a liquor store. That’s some history you won’t find in the WSHM archives.
Here’s a key concept to keep in mind: Historical Revision.
If the WSHM closes, it won’t be long before its memory is erased as surely as the memory of Pizza Haven. And don’t kid yourself—-Brick and mortar historical archives are doomed.
N Nontacoman January 10, 2011
I have a serious question: what fence? Is it along Pacific near the bridge of glass? I’m not from Tacoma and I don’t know the history of why this is controversial.
D Daniel January 10, 2011
The fence in question essentially complicates pedestrian street traffic from Pacific Avenue toward the “bridge of glass” over I-5 to the Museum of Glass. It does seem a little unnecessary.
Even so, I have to believe that those who would rather see the museum defunded than keep both it AND the fence must represent a small minority. Otherwise, any political discussion in this town would become utter dada worthless satire.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 10, 2011
Utter dada and worthless satire? The museum is trying to convince us they are such a good neighbor for downtown and what a valuable contribution they make to the neighborhood. A good neighbor does not build a spite fence. The museum sucks so badly that they have to force people to go past their front door in the hopes of finding a sucker or two to pay the admission. The museum has failed. Are we going to deprive essential services their funding so that this worthless failure continues to exist? The museum is their worst enemy. If the management of the museum thinks the fence was a good idea they deserve to be defunded.
D dolly varden January 10, 2011
While I agree the museum’s funding shouldn’t be held hostage to the fence (that would be even more petty than the museum has been about the fence itself), the fence is more than “a little unnecessary.” It’s stupid.
The museum has an opportunity to open up the fence to foster goodwill and even broader and stronger community support. They might as well pull out all the stops.
R RR Anderson January 10, 2011
save the museum campaign bumpersticker ideas (Rusty George or Jay Ray get a pencil and paper)
1. SAVE THE WSHM, IT’S BETTER THAN AN EMPTY BUILDING!
2. SAVE WSHM, A WIMPY MUSEUM IS BETTER THAN NO MUSEUM!
3. SAVE WSHM, BECAUSE WHY NOT?
4. HISTORY IS NOT FOR ‘MEH’
D Daniel January 10, 2011
Like i said, i tend to agree with the proponents of fence removal. I do not think it is worth it to force the issue at the expense of possible closure. The Historic Society is the ideal occupant for that structure. The collection WILL get better, and the society is willing to evolve. A massive empty building proves no point of value to anyone. And, as I mentioned in the article, it can be easily argued that the WSHM jumpstarted the redevelopment of downtown. it’s already proven to be an asset. Perhaps my approach lacks some amount of idealogical purity, and reeks of compromise.
I think everyone can rationally arrive at the concession that the museum is not going to quickly become the kind of place that satisfies every need it ought to aspire to. Neither do i. But I’m not getting to interact with hundreds of thousands of students, giving them a positive experience in Tacoma, either. So, i think we should support the museum as it is and work together to influence its evolution – once the funding is secured – not while the sword hangs over it.
J j feste January 10, 2011
“History isn’t for wimps.” So goes the advertising tagline at the Washington State History Museum. The institution battled for its survival with the Legislature eleven decades ago, fending off efforts to move its charter to Seattle. Yet its exhibits today are somewhat benign and, in ways, sanitize controversial and painful events. The Mount Tahoma Auditorium there is named to commemorate the land donation by Tacoma taxpayers. The WSHS should sponsor no-cost Third Thursday lectures there by responsible scholars meant to stimulate public discourse on current state topics, as they relate to historical experiences (e.g. Grand Coulee Dam, the Canwell Commission, Senator Homer Bone,and Seattle Mayor Bertha Landes). The WSHS must intellectually engage the community and the state, reminding lawmakers it is a key repository of the past needed to help interpret the future. The WSHS’ importance as an institution is as significant its 100-year old brick-and-stone neo-classical research center on Stadium Way. Let it bring forward some Third Thursday Washington history lecturers for engagements at the Mount Tahoma Auditorium—to show wimps who regard it as a mere museum that the WSHS is a cultural foundation for state government.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 10, 2011
Again, get rid of the fence, show some good faith, and you can get Sepulveda onboard with this museum. The fence has to go or you’ll get no dough.
R RR Anderson January 10, 2011
Although I appreciate and encourage anyone with Dan’s Pollyanna attitude to support WSHM in these dark times, I simply cannot get myself to care so long as the WSHM frankly blows and insults our downtown with this people traffic killing fence. I tried to explain how obscene this fence was from the moment they tried to convert it into a brick-wall, instead my friends and I were dismissed as screeching baboons by WSHM leadership. A special FAQ page was created on the WSHM site to discourage any kind of debate on the ‘donor wall’ David Nicandri used violent rhetoric saying removal of the fence would drive a dagger into the heart the WSHM business interests.
AND SO, now the WSHM looks up from the gutter and cries out “SAVE US” I look down and whisper “NO.”
Am I cynical opportunist? YES!
You think once we all go to the matt for them that they’ll return the favor?
LOOK at that photo I posted at the top of this thread. Those children are SO DESPERATE to be inspired by history they turn to a video screen for stimulation in that cathedral like space full of hideous crap that looks like they bought on sale from a nickelodeon game show from the late 1980’s HISTORY DOUBLE DARE!? Those children are escaping to a screen you could look at from the comfort of your own home. LOOK AT THE MOM! She looks BORED OUT OF HER MIND!
PLEASE PUT THIS WSHM ‘institution’ out of it’s misery!
You people are so cruel. God damn it!
D Daniel January 10, 2011
CS- Fine, fine! I’ve already forced my piece on everyone anyway :)
RR – You misspelled “Polytheist”.
T Trashtown January 10, 2011
The history museum has sucked for along time.
More importantly, Seattle is stealing the glass museum, we gotta steal there sci-fi museum! It would make more sense to have a sci-fi museum inside a giant laser anyway.
D Daniel January 10, 2011
I wish that I lived in a world where so many wild and ideal options were so easily within reach. Someone should send me an invitation.
R RR Anderson January 10, 2011
Now you’re sounding like Obama
A Altered Chords January 11, 2011
I like to look at art in a museum. I like my history in books.
A AreteTacoma January 11, 2011
This is not about getting retribution for hurt feelings. WSHM was dismissive of our criticisms about the fence, but just because my neighbor’s dog crapped on my lawn, doesn’t mean I want their house to burn down. A giant blank brick building that brings at least some people downtown is still better than a giant empty blank brick building.
The fence is not ideal, but it really is not the huge issue some are making it out to be. There isn’t even a pedestrian crossing in front of it. The crossing is by the link station and is between a dead zone around the court house to the north and another dead zone created by the museum to the south. The only people inconvenienced by the fence are those walking from the TAM to the Museum of Glass and they have to walk a whole 200ft extra. Hell if it wasn’t there you’d still have two huge dead zones created by the big empty hardscaped areas on either side of the bridge of glass.
The point is, anyone on that side of Pacific Avenue already knows their destination, because none of it follows good urban design principles for pedestrian traffic. There is nothing near the sidewalk on that side of Pacific until you get to 9th Street unless you count the Tully’s by 15th. Even the TAM is cut off by a giant concrete expanse that has a certain synergy with the monstrosity across from it. Let’s be a little pragmatic here and not just cry about sour grapes.
R RR Anderson January 11, 2011
OK Rusty George + Jay Ray, the people of exit133 are doing your jobs for you…
BUMPERSTICKER: “WSHM: WE BRING AT LEAST SOME PEOPLE DOWNTOWN, AND THAT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME FAMILIES OR HEALTHCARE FOR CHILDREN. YOU WOULDN’T BURN OUR HOUSE DOWN BECAUSE OUR DOG HAS BEEN CRAPPING IN YOUR KID’S SAND BOX WOULD YOU? WOULD. YOU.. . ? “
C Crenshaw Sepulveda January 11, 2011
If the museum manages to stay open I’m thinking about buying some memberships for homeless people so they’ll have a warm dry place to hang out. That should increase their door count. I’m not sure what an annual memberhip costs but I suspect it is cheaper than any other form of accomodation for the lumpen proletariat.
M Mofo from the Hood January 11, 2011
After the one time I visited the downtown WSHM my lasting impression was of an overdesigned shadowy place.
The Stadium Way WSHM (when it was still just the small original brick building) has a scholarly tone which the new museum left behind in order to become a downtown entertainment center.
Is the downtown WSHM really taken seriously by the general public OR State officials?
R RR Anderson January 11, 2011
whynot give those oxen half-track treads on the hind quarters? Maybe some rocket launcher eyes. Anyone see the movie Gentlemen Broncos? Maybe WSHM is so bad it’s good?
A Andrew R Campbell January 11, 2011
I haven’t heard a surrounding business owner weigh in on this issue yet without mentioning how the loss of the museum would seriously impact their revenue and would decrease foot traffic downtown. It would interest me to see a list of corporate/business donations to the museum in the last 10 years- I wonder how many of the businesses who “can’t imagine the blow dealt by the museum’s closing” have done anything to support it. I think a lot of people look at cultural amenities like this one as an entitlement rather than something we all need to support to derive benefit from.
Even if these two closures were to raise the proposed $5 million over two years, that’s 1/1000th of the gap Gregoire’s trying to close here. I think the museum represents more than 1/100th of a budget gap. And handing it over to private sector interest? I’m with Dan on that one- leaving history and cultural identity to market forces is a one way ticket to a Panda Express in the Nisqually Delta.
Though I agree that the fence is a nightmare and that it COULD be taken as an outward sign of the museum’s attitude, let’s not forget the ways in which the museum DOES reach out to the community. It surprises me that so many people have voiced such bitterness toward this kind of cultural institution because of a bit of bad urban design. This is bigger than all of that. The older (and newer) Tacoma (and the region as a whole) gets, the more it’s going to need this connection to its younger years.
L low bar January 11, 2011
looks like its time to host ‘a night at the WSHM’ fund raiser w/ free monkey face slaps.
R RR Anderson January 11, 2011
Ah come now, is only like 3 or 4 people expressing bitterness. You should see a TNT comment thread!
R RR Anderson January 12, 2011
cut school funding. cut police and firefighters… anything! Just save this lame museum with moderate to low patronage!
C crenshaw sepulveda January 12, 2011
let sick children die because they don’t have insurance, just save the museum and it’s beautiful fence.
L low bar January 12, 2011
good thing is the place is already built and its in a great spot. tacoma has a population of 193,556. if every proud tacoman donated 40 bucks to some kind of thing they’d have almost 8 mil to give to UWT to take over the place and do something cool with it, like put in a fine arts department instead of all that interdisciplinary bullshit.
D Daniel January 12, 2011
Man, i think i AM reading the TNT after all. Dramatic false equivalancies? It’s like poetry.
J Jesse January 12, 2011
I’ll get a lot of flack for this probably but I think a Pottery Barn and a Restoration Hardware would pump more life into that area than the museum. They’d fit in that building.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 12, 2011
Perhaps the children that die because they don’t have insurance can be given a free admission to the museum before they die. What a treat!! Maybe some of them will be healthy enough to walk all around and past the fence so they can see the Bridge of Glass. Maybe sometime the museum can put up an exhibit of all the little children that died so we could have this museum as a tribute. Think of this as a “Donor’s Wall”. I suggest we tie tiny pairs of children’s shoes to the fence so people can see who the real donors are.
C crenshaw sepulveda January 12, 2011
It is probably ironic, then, if are to keep the museum open that we’d be killing children or making certain they live lives of disability. Children first, if there is any money left we’ll talk. Maybe there will be a movie made of the poor dead and disabled children that will result if their funding is given to the museum. I’m sure the museum would be very vital to our community and allow the movie to be shown on their premises.
R RR Anderson January 12, 2011
If Gregoire Shut the museum down, you could jimmy the door and show fund raiser movies all the time!
R RR Anderson January 12, 2011
I have a dream, that one day an OX cart with a tiny jet flying over it will be built in Tacoma, and be vital to our downtown rebirth. Thanks WSHM! Downtown is reborn. But what have you done for us lately ?
Truth is, they got a cool building and it’s a shame its being wasted on the ox cart
R RR Anderson January 12, 2011
I know what my friend an colleague Dan will say. He’ll say the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt is our heritage and without the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt we’re doomed to repeat it. To this I say, Humbug! If the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt is so important, let the local community pay for the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt much like our governor has proposed for the socialist ferry system we are held hostage to. Is this a really a fight about keeping the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt? Or is this a fight about revisionists who want to paint a more liberal picture about the ox cart with tiny jet and guard rails with a plastic triangle on the floor representing asphalt? You decide.
L low bar January 12, 2011
i think its safe to say that we are all projecting things onto the WSHM that we wish we got for xmas this year but didn’t. like a giant black light miniature golf course that uses dead children heads as balls and a grand prize for hitting the ball into an ox’s afterburner
R Rick Jones January 12, 2011
The WSHM is a beautiful building with a sorry entrance. Because the entrance is off the street we end up with close to a block of unengaging brick. That’s why there’s always a vinyl banner on the sidewalk-side wall (not a sign, but a vinyl banner) to let us know what the building is and what may be inside it. I actually agree with Jesse @45. There is no where closer than Seattle (U-Village I think, though it’s been a long long time since I’ve been to S’center) for those two retailers. Would be a huge draw. I also agree with much of what c.s. has posted. Funding for a history museum should not enter into any conversation if its funding takes money from health care for underprivledged chidren.
First things first.
I’d be interested in seeing what kind of revenue WSHM generates. If it was self-supporting, i.e. if it paid its way, money from the state wouldn’t be necessary. So…do we want to continue to prop up an institution that without governmental support cannot exist, or spend our money elsewhere? I’m not anti WSHM, but it’s time to strap it on and make the tough choices. That’s what Gregoire did and she got the conversation going.
Now what will you do?
A Annette Munoz January 13, 2011
My goodness and OUCH. Was it a slow day for you boys or what?
Personally, I was sorely disappointed when the WSHS Museum building opened its doors on Pacific Ave. As a kid, I loved going to the museum in the old Ferry building by Stadium Bowl. All the exhibits were authentic, and though it was musty-dusty, wandering its halls and exhibit spaces instilled in me a real sense of wonder about what had gone on before my time.
The “new” building, while beautiful, certainly was poorly designed. The entrance should be along Pacific Ave. And once you get inside, I always feel like the flow is missing. Worst, so much of what’s on display is a plastic recreation versus the real thing. And I really DID miss Ezra Meeker’s two oxen and the covered wagon, until they were returned to their rightful place on the museum’s display floor. (I’d like to see a return to display of the mummy, too!) But maybe that’s just because I’ve become a women of a certain age, savoring memories of my youth.
Yes, the fence is an abomination. The entrance is in the wrong place. Sadly, the exhibits often are less than stimulating.
All that said – we need this museum, because it’s more than just the sum of a brick and mortar building. It’s a place where, if it were produced better, today’s over-stimulated, internet-dazed youth can gather to see, and perhaps touch, history in a way that may excite their souls, a way that virtual viewing just can’t match. Sometimes, musty-dusty can actually be exciting…
C crenshaw sepulveda January 13, 2011
Annette, how about the children that will never get to go to the museum because their health care funding went to the museum. Children will lose health care funding in this budget, the question is how many. Low income seniors will lose in home health care services. Do we want to keep this museum open at the expense of the most vulnerable members of our society?
M Mofo from the Hood January 13, 2011
Who was the salesman that upsold Tacoma a super-sized McMuseum?
M Mofo from the Hood January 13, 2011
Ha! Sympathy for greedy Tacoman’s.
If you have more than you need, it’s greed.
T Tacoma Fan January 17, 2011
While the first problem with the fence is the clear diruption of urban design thats not the real issue.
It’s about R-E-S-P-E-C-T!!!
When concerns about the fence were raised, they went on the attack. The WSHM was dismissive of those who spoke up about about an issue of civic concern. Then they bartered the construction of the fence for space in Tollefson Plaza for their donors.
@ Dan…
Their dog didn’t just crap in my yard, their dog dug out the flowers along the front of my house.
Then the owner then defended the dog as helping my house look better, refuses to say he is sorry and calls the cops on me for being upset about it.
Now his house is facing forclosure and we are asked to say they are the best neighbor evar.
If when the issue was raised, and WSHM would have removed the fence, or even installed a gate that was open when they were closed many would have thought that they had the citizens concerns at heart. I think you would hear a different chatter going on today.
One that responds with the respect that was shown by WSHM to the citizens.
It’s not really about the fence.
M Morty January 18, 2011
5 million dollars is the increased amount the state agreed to pay for the attorney general’s new offices at Tacoma’s Pacific Plaza over the life of their new lease. Sorry no money for museums. The state’s attorneys needed new offices.
M Martin Christoffel January 22, 2011
@45: I couldn’t agree more that downtown could use a major chain like Pottery Barn or Crate and Barrel. it is incredibly important to a revitalized downtown to have commercial attractions that will successfully bring people to the business district instead of funneling everyone to the mall. However, I debate whether repurposing a major historic and cultural attraction in Tacoma with storefront is the best use of the architectural asset. Take, for example, the Banana Republic in Seattle’s old Coliseum Theatre. Granted, it is better than tearing down an architectural facade, yet the old building could have been so much more- especially looking at the success of Seattle’s downtown revitalization.
Regarding the WSHM: at the time of the redevelopment of the site into the museum, the storytelling mode of exhibits was contemporary and evocative. Although it may feel dated and people reminisce fondly about the “musty-dusty” museum in the Stadium district, the evolution into a museum telling a more evocative and relevant story was not a choice they would have entered into capriciously. Speaking as one who grew up in the halls of a “musty-dusty” Carnegie Museum, I, too, mourn the loss of that mode of museum. In the 90’s many institutions opted to find a way to update their content, to become more immediate to audiences, to find new ways to attract children and their adults.
The museum’s exhibits may feel tired, may seem unimportant. Speaking as a professional designer, updating exhibits continuously to be current is not an inexpensive thing to do. It costs between $150 and $225/ per square foot to design and implement a new exhibit. At such a price point, $100,000 is chump change. To incorporate new technology such as touch screen displays or interactive content only drives up the cost. For those who are concerned about the quality of exhibits at the museum, please allow this to mitigate your views. As a public institution, any improvement comes out of our pockets.
I believe enough in having a historical museum both as a cultural attraction in Tacoma as well as an educational opportunity to be willing to give up my employment and volunteer my time to help administer the facility should it hit the chopping block. Not that the state would allow it, bur it’s on the table. Anyone else willing?