Museums & Art Galleries

Showcases rotating art exhibits and also features a permanent exhibit that celebrates the history and culture of Northwest Coast Salish tribes. Perfect for kids, this museum also includes the Family Interactive Gallery (FIG).

Visitors of all ages will feel a zip of excitement while exploring the museum's world-class collection of artifacts and objects that highlight the history and development of electricity, radio, and early technology. On weekends, catch the MegaZapper Electrical Show, featuring one of the largest Tesla coils in the US!

Allied Arts has been in Bellingham and Whatcom County for decades. Support them by visiting their art gallery in Downtown Bellingham. Their gallery features rotating installations and exhibits by local artists. They also host the annual Holiday Festival of the Arts.

This museum offers a rich variety of programs and exhibitions about art, nature, and Northwest history. Home to the Whatcom Museum since 1941, Old City Hall also features the John M. Edson Hall of Birds. They also often host special free programming during First Fridays.

The Whatcom Art Market is a co-op gallery and gift store composed of almost 50 local artists from Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties. Featuring fine art paintings, photography, handcrafted jewelry, textiles, shampoo & lotion bars, wood work, and so much more!  

This museum is focused on the history of Lynden and Whatcom County and showcases various memorabilia and slices of life to help capture what it felt like back in the late 19th century, when Lynden was first established. View horse-drawn buggies, explore a blacksmith shop and farm implement store, and visit the souvenir shop.

Explore Jansen Art Center's art galleries and rotating exhibits, or sign up to take many types of art classes. Located in the heart of Lynden, they also host various performances and concerts. The Center's gallery shop is a great place to find the perfect locally-made souvenir to remember your time in Whatcom County. You'll find artwork, pottery, jewelry, and more, all handmade by local artisans. 

On the north side of Bellingham, the Cordata neighborhood surrounds Whatcom Community College. Tucked into an expansive low-rise building, this gallery features works by the artist David Syre and rotating exhibits. Explore paintings, sculptures, and installations rooted in Syre's fascination with travel, nature, and the subconscious.

The Alaska Packers Association is best known for operating the “Star Fleet,” the last fleet of commercial sailing vessels on the West Coast of North America, as late as 1927. The museum is housed in an original cannery building right on the scenic Semiahmoo Spit in Blaine, and includes a scale model fish trap, antique machinery, a gallery of historic photos, and an original 29-foot Bristol Bay sailboat that gill-netted salmon in the Bristol Bay fishery.