After months of an inspired and well-funded renovation, the Vashon Heritage Museum will hold a grand opening of its newly remodeled permanent exhibit from 5-8 p.m. Friday, July 5.

This immersive exhibit, museum officials promise, will offer up a rich tapestry of Vashon Island — from its earliest inhabitants to the present day.

The entry to the renovated museum is filled by artist Andy Eccleshall’s rendition of a towering and peaceful Colombian Mammoth, which roamed the Salish Sea region around 1.3 to 1.5 million years ago. One of the museum’s treasures, a fossilized tooth of one of these creatures found on a local beach in 1960, will be displayed near the mural.

Stepping further into the museum, visitors can walk a wide path, with the architecture of the building’s tall and graceful ceiling newly visible above them, filled with interactive displays detailing different periods on Vashon to the left and right of them.

Visitors can first delve into the history of the First People of Vashon —the s ̌xwəbabs (Swiftwater People) who have called Vashon home since time immemorial, and immerse themselves in the Twulshootseed language or try their hand at traditional basket weaving. The interactive language display has been shared with the museum by the Puyallup Tribal Museum.

Other hands-on displays will move viewers through the timeline of the island’s history. These include exhibits about animal trails that evolved into modern roadways and historic focal points, the first contact between cultures, the rise of industries including mining, logging, shipbuilding, and agriculture, the transformative impact of World War II, the post-war era and the gentrification and activism that defines island life today.

The centerpiece of the renovated museum will be a large-screen, interactive digital display of five digital maps of Vashon, illustrated by islander Bruce Morser, depicting Vashon from pre-contact to today.

“This new installation weaves together history, culture, and community in exciting ways,” said Gretta Stimson, the museum’s newly appointed director. “We can’t wait to share our work with island residents and visitors alike this summer.”

The new permanent exhibit was made possible by a prestigious $287,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and local Vashon supporters of the museum. Out of fifty-nine grant applications submitted to the NEH from around the nation, the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association’s proposal was selected as one of nine funded projects.

In selecting the project for funding, Claire McCaffery Griffin, a consultant who serves as part of NEH’s 26-member external advisory committee, the National Council on the Humanities, praised the Museum’s plans.

“We believe this exhibit will make a significant impact on the community,” she said. “The Vashon museum’s content aligns perfectly with the humanities, creating an investment in our shared future.”

Bruce Haulman, the president of the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association, said he believes that the new exhibit can not only tell the story of Vashon’s past but also help chart its future by bringing islanders together in an inclusive, affirming way.

“The new … exhibit at the Vashon Heritage Museum doesn’t tell ‘the’ story of Vashon; it tells ‘a’ story — a mosaic of interconnected narratives,” Haulman said. “As visitors explore, they’ll discover how deeply woven we all are into the fabric of this island we call home.”

Elsa Croonquist, special project director and immediate past executive director of the museum, spoke with gratitude to the many who had advised and contributed to the project, notably including Brandon Reynon, the director and tribal historic preservation officer of the Puyallup Tribe of Indians. She also praised the work of islander Michael Nauman-Montana, of Salmon Bay Woodworks, who has served as the design and build contractor for the renovation.

Many deserve thanks for their help and support of the renovation, she said, including Island Home Center & Lumber owner Earl Van Buskirk, who donated all of the materials that are being used to create a new outdoor, weatherproof space to exhibit islander Roger Stanley’s hydroplane, built in 1958, along with other historical items detailing Vashon’s hydroplane history.

“We thank the early volunteers and donors who saw the need for a renewal of the museum exhibit, and those who supported the feasibility and early design of the renovation,” Croonquist said. “Those Vashon individual donors, local foundations, 4Culture, and the National Endowment for the Humanities — they are why we were able to keep the project design moving forward, even during the museum’s closure due to COVID.”

The museum’s July 5 reopening will also boast a new special exhibit, “We the People,” featuring the political memorabilia collection of islander Gib Dammann.

At age 7, Dammann began collecting glitzy political buttons and has continued to be fascinated by presidential election merchandising memorabilia. The special exhibit, running through February 2025, shows this collection, dating from 1916 on, and also includes information about how Vashon residents have voted throughout the years.

The museum’s regular hours, following the July 5 opening, will be 1-4 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.

An earlier version of this article misspelled the name of Brandon Reynon.