The Burke: Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture

I have been doing my best to participate in social events hosted by organizations that I belong to. I can think of no better way to make friends and learn about my new turf. The Junior League of Seattle hosted a private evening for sustainers (alumnae) at The Burke, the Washington State Museum of Natural History and Culture one evening this winter.

We were honored to have Dr. Julie Stein, Executive Director of The Burke give us a tour of some exhibits and an overview of the big plans for building a New Burke museum over the next five years. She is incredibly personable and clearly passionate about bringing education and inspiration to the public. I am looking forward to many more experiences at The Burke. I couldn't resist including this photo (above) where the dinosaur seems to be gabbing along with the girls.

The Burke is a research and collections-based museum loaded with thousands of examples from our natural world. One exciting benefit of the new Burke is that the building has been designed to make far more of their massive collection of artifacts accessible to the public. My favorite piece on display was this 50 million year old fossil flower. Delight goes waaaay back.

The evening included wine and appetizers and was a really wonderful venue to meet others volunteer-focused women and be inspired. Notice that most of the serving platters and utensils are made of bamboo: sustainable and very Seattle.

Museums are traditionally quiet and after these women had busy work days and a dash of Seattle traffic, standing among the flora and fauna of yesteryear gave the gathering a relaxing feel.

I really enjoyed exploring The Burke and channeling my inner Wilma Flintstone. Some exhibits are replicas to give us a sense of scale, while other are actual artifacts discovered in the Pacific Northwest. Don't wait for the New Burke, I recommend you take time to visit The Burke now and enjoy a quiet glimpse into the past.