Histories and Mysteries: Preserving Our Past, Funding Our Future is a variety show of interesting facts about what makes Vashon Island so unique in our spot in the Salish Sea while highlighting the Vashon Heritage Museum's current exhibits and programs. The fundraiser will be held on May 22, at 7:00 pm, on Zoom.

The free event for the entire island, emceed by Kevin Joyce and Martha Enson of EnJoy Productions, will dive into some of the more intriguing historical tidbits of Vashon-Maury Island’s past, such as the mysterious story of the U.F.O. at the airport. The event is the museum’s largest fundraiser for the year.

“Our exhibits and events mobilize segments of our populations within our communities to tell their stories,” says Board President Bruce Haulman. “That is what the Vashon Heritage Museum does and that is why we are here. To tell, collect, and preserve stories, and make sure they are accessible to everyone.”

The Vashon Heritage Museum cannot do its work without the support of the island community, and it has many big plans for the near future. The museum is currently preparing to sunset its special exhibit IN AND OUT: Being LGTBQ on Vashon and open Natural Wonder: An Island Shaped by Water, a collaborative and interactive exhibit created in partnership with the Vashon Nature Center. In addition, the Vashon Heritage Museum is currently at work renovating its permanent exhibit.

“The Vashon Heritage Museum is living history,” says Haulman. “Through our LGBTQ exhibit In and Out, our Japanese-American and Vietnam War veteran exhibits, we are collecting those stories and making them relevant today, holding true for the people who lived them as well. That is the purpose of our work.”

The free event will be an opportunity for the community to help fund the work of the island’s only historical heritage museum, all from the comforts of their own home.

Please see a recording of Histories and Mysteries below.