Have you seen the 10,000 year old Bison antiquus skull on Orcas? Did you ever stand in the old jail on San Juan whose inhabitants included the murderer, Richard Straub, the only person to be hanged in San Juan County? Have you viewed the restored gillnetter, the Sally J, on Lopez? Make 2016 the year you visit all of the historical museums in the San Juan Islands. Not only will you have fun and learn more about our history, but you can also qualify for a chance to win one of three island getaway packages.
The historical museums on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands have joined with the San Juan Visitors Bureau to create the Passport into History program. The Passport offers both visitors and residents an opportunity to learn more about each island’s unique history. Passports are available at any of the four participating museums:
Crow Valley School Museum (Orcas Island), Lopez Island Historical Museum, Orcas Island Pioneer Museum and the San Juan Historical Museum.
Passport holders will have their passport stamped when they visit a participating museum. Once Passport holders have visited museums on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands during 2016, they are eligible to be entered into a drawing for a getaway for two, which includes two nights’ lodging at a local inn, hotel or bed and breakfast, dinner at a local restaurant and fun local extras, like whale watching or kayaking. The museums on each island are putting together their own package so you could enter to win the San Juan package, the Orcas package or the Lopez package. The details of each island’s package are available at that island’s museums.
How does it work? First, pick up your Passport at one of the participating museums. Second, visit the museums on all three islands before the end of 2016 and have your Passport validated at each one. Third, after you are finished, complete the raffle ticket in the back of the Passport book and return it to the museum whose getaway package you would like to win. The drawing will be held at the end of the year and winners will be able to claim their prize in 2017. Blackout dates may apply.
All museums are now open, so bring your family, pick up your “Passport Into History” soon and start your engaging three-island adventure into long ago.
