Behind the Scenes at the JCHS Research & Collections Center
Date: Saturday, October 11
Time: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Location: 13692 Airport Cutoff Road (Highway 19)
Free Guided Collections Tours Every Half Hour
Artifact Identification with Dr. Gary Wessen
Free (donations accepted)
>> What You’ll See
The artifacts you see at our museum are just a small glimpse of what we have in our collections; at any given time, only a fraction of our 500,000+ artifacts are on display. The rest are housed in our Research & Collections Center off Highway 19, where on Saturday, October 11th you will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and see where (and how) we store them. Highlights include historic newspapers, taxidermy, the original Haller Fountain sculpture, a vintage hearse, and other unique items from Jefferson County’s past.
>> What You’ll Learn
On the tour, discover how JCHS protects and preserves its vast collections. Learn about climate control, lighting, and storage techniques that ensure long-term preservation.
Local archaeologist Dr. Gary Wessen will also be on-site to offer informal artifact identification. Feel free to bring your interesting rocks, fossils, or small artifacts (but no bones, please) and let Dr. Wessen help you learn more about them. Even if you don’t bring anything yourself, you can watch the process and see how professionals examine and interpret mysterious finds. Please note: this is not a formal appraisal.
>> Who You’ll Meet
Local, award-winning archeologist Dr. Gary Wessen, who has over 50 years of archaeological field experience, primarily in coastal and lowland western Washington. He has led hundreds of projects, often in collaboration with Indigenous communities, including long-term work with the Makah and Skokomish Tribes.
Ellie DiPietro, our Director of Research & Collections, who brings over 17 years of museum + collections experience to JCHS.
Reed Barry, Research Center Coordinator, whose background in biology brings scientific precision to collections management and recordkeeping.
>> What Makes this Event Special
This is your chance to explore the behind-the-scenes work that keeps Jefferson County’s history preserved, accessible, and ready for future research . You’ll see rarely viewed artifacts, some that have been exhibited in the past, and many that have never been on display at all. You’ll learn how professional collections care is done, and meet local experts who make it all possible.
This event is free and open to all; donations are appreciated, but not required.
You may also like the following events from Jefferson County Historical Society:
- Next month, 4th October, 11:00 am, Free First Saturday in Port Townsend
- Next month, 18th October, 07:00 pm, Weird, Wonderful, and Worrisome Objects in Washington State's Museums in Port Townsend
- This November, 1st November, 11:00 am, Free First Saturday in Port Townsend
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