Seattle's Child

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Artifacts and activities engage at "Living in the Shadows"

Washington State History Museum’s new exhibit offers impressive relics and interactive areas for kids to play, dress up and explore.

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens blew its top. Anyone not old enough to remember this dramatic day can transport themselves back in time to a comfy 1980s couch, in a middle-class living room in Washington state. A 5 p.m. newscast from KOMO 4 plays on the TV. You can put your feet up and relive this infamous day only at the Washington State History Museum’s new exhibit, “Living in the Shadows: Volcanoes of Washington.”

My children, ages 7, 9 and 11, were thrilled to be able to play and interact inside of an actual museum display. They made themselves at home and asked questions such as, “Did your TV really look like that in the 80s?” Aside from making us feel old, my husband and I enjoyed the feeling of nostalgia, and the fact that we could pass our memories of Mount St. Helens along to our children. In fact, there is a wall covered with memories of that day. Visitors are asked to share, with pencils and post-its provided.

Photo: Tonya Cunningham

More memories will come back to you as you read the headlines of the newspapers on display from the day of the eruption. My son pointed out that one newspaper also proclaimed the opening of the new Star Wars movie. Interesting items, such as a nylon jacket destroyed by hot rocks that had fallen from the ash dome and a mangled Weyerhaeuser truck door crushed in a mud flow and avalanche, grabbed our attention. After viewing a huge tree stump that had been blasted by the eruption, my son exclaimed, “I can’t believe they have all this cool stuff!”

There is a lot to read, and a lot to see in this well-designed exhibit, but there is plenty to engage children of any age. Along with artifacts and history lessons to discuss, there are interactive areas for play, dress up and exploration. We appreciated how this exhibit dwells less on living in fear of our neighboring volcanoes and more on how science is making it easy for us to be aware of and prepared if another eruption should ever occur.

Photo: Tonya Cunningham

Moving on to the next room, we learned our word of the day: volcanology. And we found ourselves in a replica of a 1980s U.S. Geological Survey lab, complete with lockers stuffed with geologist’s clothing and lab coats. Children can pretend they are scientists, using real scientific gear. There is a desk where you can sit and pretend to use an “old-fashioned” telephone, an electric typewriter and other scientific equipment. One of the most interesting objects in this room is a “spider,” a piece of seismic monitoring equipment that is on loan to the museum, and will need to be put to use if a volcano shows any signs of a quake.

Photo: Tonya Cunningham

After showcasing Mount St. Helens, the exhibit draws your attention to the other area volcanoes, including Mount Rainier, Mount Baker, Mount Adams and Glacier Peak. As older children and parents may want to read and explore the history of these mountains, younger children can become “Rock Detectives” in the center of the room, where tables are set up with magnifying glasses, games, rocks and puzzles. Amazing artifacts around the room include a letter describing the 1842 eruption of Mount St. Helens, an ice axe from 1890 and a hiking boot with metal hobnails worn by Fay Fuller, who summited Mount Rainier in 1890.

Another display shows how the mountains around us influence every aspect of our lives, including pop culture. It features clips of the famous 1970s TV ads for Rainier Beer, and a T-shirt you might still have in your closet proclaiming “Survivor Mt. St. Helens Eruption 1980.” Also on display are the many containers people used to scoop up and save volcanic ash, such as a Skippy peanut butter jar.

The more time you spend in the exhibit, the more you will get out of it. There is a lot to read and, as we found out, children younger than 7 may want to move on quicker than the rest of the family. Luckily there is a spectacular interactive exhibit right next door: “Ernest Oglby Punkweiler and the Fabulous-Miraculous Time Intrusionator” – on display until April 12 – a quirky, colorful and fun interactive experience for all ages. As well, the “Pomp and Circumstance: The Clothing of Transformation” exhibit is on display until June 21, featuring dresses, gowns, suits and other clothing items worn for important events that shaped the lives of the people who wore them.

There are plenty of activities to fill your day at the History Museum. In the Great Hall of Washington History is an exhibit that spans Native American culture and civilization, mining, forestry, pioneers, Seattle Suffragists and on through to pre- and post-war eras. Be sure to pick up a scavenger hunt at the information desk. Our family took the challenge, and enjoyed collecting our prizes.

If you choose to take a break for lunch, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes within walking distance of the museum, including The Old Spaghetti Factory and the delicious Harmon Brewery & Eatery. Also within walking distance are the Tacoma Art Museum and Children’s Museum of Tacoma. The Dale Chihuly Bridge of Glass is free to enjoy as you stroll to the Museum of Glass. The lobby of this museum and its gift shop are interesting to visit, as are the surrounding steps and walkways. In sunny weather, this is a great place to enjoy a packed lunch and take in the views of Tacoma.

 

IF YOU GO

What: “Living in the Shadows” runs through May 17 (the day before the 35th anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption).

Where: Washington State History Museum, 1911 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.

Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Cost: Adults (18+) $11, seniors (60+) $8, students and military $8, children 5 and under are free. On the third Thursday of each month, the museum is open until 8 p.m. and admission is free from 2 to 8 p.m. A Tacoma Museum Pass, which includes admission to the Washington State History Museum, the Tacoma Art Museum and the Museum of Glass, is $32 for adults and $25 for students, military and seniors.

Special Events: Enjoy hands-on volcano activities for all ages at the Ring of Fire Family Camp, Wednesday, April 1 at 10:30 a.m. Hear legends of the volcanoes with Native American storyteller Harvest Moon. Included with museum admission; preregister at SchoolPrograms@wshs.wa.gov. Visit the Kids and Families section of the website for extra activities and special projects.

Contact: 206-272-9747; washingtonhistory.org.

 

IF YOU VISIT THE MOUNTAIN

Check out mountsthelens.com to learn more about the Forest Learning Center, located on SR 504 at mile marker 33. Admission is free.

Parks.wa.gov has information on the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center, as well as other visitor centers located in the park, as does fs.usda.gov. The Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument is located within the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.


Tonya Cunningham is a freelance writer, poet and antique dealer. Her children, ages 11, 9 and 7, share her love of history, beachcombing for treasures and hiking in the Seattle rain.

About the Author

Tonya Cunningham