Olympia AHA Museum and Visitor Center

Our Story

In 2018, the OlymWe opened a museum for Olympia arts, cultures and history in June, 2025.pia Arts and Heritage Alliance envisioned something Olympia had long needed: a museum where arts, cultures, and history come together. 

Olympia needs a place for exhibits and programs where residents and visitors can deepen their knowledge, expand their curiosity, and celebrate Olympia’s rich stories.

In 2025, that dream became real. We cut the ribbon at 203 Columbia Street, opening the doors of the Olympia AHA Museum and Visitor Center.

Our ImpactWe brought a community art project to Fall Arts Walk in 2025.

Since opening, we’ve welcomed nearly 3,000 visitors from Olympia and around the world.

Visitors have explored contemporary art side by side with historic photographs and dived deep into Olympia’s history, from Steh-Chass to the city's centennial celebration to the first Procession of the Species. We have featured button blankets by Squaxin artists alongside a timeline of Olympia as Washington’s capital city.

We have welcomed thirty volunteers and shown five exhibits. We’ve hosted artist receptions, field trips, walking tours, and community art projects.

Explore Current Exhibits

What’s Next, With Your Help
Your Give Local donation will help us:

• Build new partnerships that connect Olympia’s diverse communities — $50 helps us host a community collaboration meeting.
• Curate eight new exhibits — $100 supports new exhibit materials and installation.
• Offer workshops, lectures, and storytelling events — $250 funds speaker honorariums or workshop supplies.
• Expand our Visitor Center to support tourism — $1,000 helps welcome more visitors to our downtown museum.
• Expand our museum gift shop to showcase local artists and authors — $2,500 supports local creative economy growth.
• Provide internships for college students gaining real-world experience — $2,500 funds a full student internship.

Your Give Local donationThe Olympia AHA Museum and Visitor Center is a welcoming gathering space centered around Olympia's arts, cultures and history. helps bring Olympia’s stories to life. With your support, we can build partnerships that connect our diverse communities, curate eight new exhibits, and offer workshops, lectures, and storytelling events that deepen our shared understanding of place. 

Your generosity also helps us expand our Visitor Center and museum gift shop—showcasing local artists, authors, and heritage—and provide meaningful internships for college students gaining real-world experience. Every contribution makes a difference.

In 2018, we had a vision. In 2025, we opened our doors. In 2026, you can help us grow Oly AHA into a community mainstay. 

A Community-Curated MuseumCurrent work on display by Joe (wahaltsu?) Seymour Jr. explores the "Power of Place".

Oly AHA is a community-curated museum, meaning that we build exhibits and programs through relationships, partnerships, and shared stories. The spirit of collaboration is what keeps Oly AHA vital and growing.

Get Involved

Some of our recent partners include:

• The Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum
• The South Sound Maritime Heritage Association
• Illuminate Oly
• Procession of the Species
• Squaxin Island Museum, Library and Research Center