Museums are an anchor-point within any community. They educate, celebrate, and honor a region’s past while looking forward to whatever the future may bring. Locally, the Lacey Museum and Cultural Center first opened its doors on October 26, 1980. On Thursday, January 15, 2026, they’ll move to a larger location with grand opening festivities later in the year. Through January 3, 2026, sign up for hosted small group tours and enjoy a sneak peek over the holidays.
Private Tours of the Lacey Museum are a Fun Learning Experience over Winter Break
“The new location will have a larger, more accessible and more modern exhibit space,” says Erin Quinn Valcho, the Lacey Museum’s curator. “There will be a craft and activity area where kids, families, and kids at heart can enjoy our monthly themed crafts and other activities. Volunteers and staff will also be on hand to provide information or give a tour.”
On December’s behind-the-scenes tours, guests will see and hear “fascinating and compelling stories about the people and places of Lacey and the South Sound,” promises Valcho. Associate curator Felicia Rova-Chamroeun and adjunct curator Olivia Moore will be on hand to connect with guests from the community and share information about the people of Lacey and the surrounding region. “We are both so excited to see you in our new space,” says Rova-Chamroeun, “Our favorite part of the job is engaging with our community.”
One recent participant offered glowing reviews: “I was fortunate enough to get to experience one of the early pre-opening tours provided last Friday, December 5th, and I must say it was pretty fantastic! The ladies did an outstanding job of providing a lot of valuable, interesting information while keeping the experience very relaxed, interactive, and conversational making for a thoroughly enjoyable experience.”
To make all this happen, Valcho thanks their amazing maintenance team, Chris Baird, Derrick Fontaine, Brendan Duffy, and Jesse Castaneda. “We are so lucky to have lots of skilled coworkers to help us build exhibit furniture, move boxes and artifacts, carefully hang and install items, and make sure all the exhibit panels are straight,” she says.
The Lacey Museum: Celebrating South Sound History since 1980
The vast majority of its collection comes from private donors who grew up here or had family in the area.
“The Lacey Museum is special because of our community; and the stories we tell are the community’s stories,” says Valcho. “We hope everyone will feel welcome. We love it when people come in and tell us their stories, like working at the Lacey Drive-In or dancing the night away at the Evergreen Ballroom. Things we have on exhibit spark people’s memories and then the tour becomes an exchange.”
Their exhibits aren’t exclusively focused on Lacey, and incorporate the entire South Sound region. Because, explains Valcho, “people don’t adhere to borders in their everyday life. They live one place, work in another, and recreate in another.”
With their small, efficient staff – a whopping 2.6 people – at this time the Museum doesn’t have an outreach program for schools. But the team is happy to provide presentations when asked by clubs or other groups.
You Can Help Keep the Lacey Museum Going Strong for Another 45 Years
Museums rely on the public in many ways. Donations of items, financial support, and volunteer hours are hugely important in their day-to-day success.
For the Lacey Museum, visitors can donate on-site or mail a check to 4160 6th Ave SE, Suite 101, Lacey WA 98503. If you have items which might be of historical interest, email LaceyMuseum@CityofLacey.org or call 360.438.0209 to learn more.
Consider signing up to become a volunteer gallery host. They’re looking for kind souls who enjoy welcoming visitors, sharing local history and creating positive experiences for guests. Complete an application on the museum’s website.
From the Museum’s website, visitors can register for a tour before January 3, plan their visit, or learn more about museum services and local historic preservation. Check frequently or sign up for the newsletter as they plan to add new exhibitions and exclusive merchandise throughout the year.
Then head over and explore their temporary “Bits & Bobs,” exhibit made up of “a wonderfully random selection of artifacts we picked because they were interesting or had a great story,” says Valcho. Or look for the community collaboration “Stories of Food, Food as Story.” In conjunction with Window Seat Media, audio allows guests to hear stories directly from the source and sharing family recipes is encouraged.
But don’t wait too long, tours only run through January 3, 2026 and RSVP spots are limited.
More from the Lacey Museum
From September to June, the Museum hosts “History Talks!” at Lacey City Hall. It’s a series of engaging speakers with fascinating stories to tell. It might be something you’ve never heard before or a new twist on a favorite topic. The next event happens on Thursday, January 8 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and is titled “The Greatest Breakup Letter in U.S. History, The Declaration of Independence.” RSVP online to save your spot.
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