Old-fashioned fun awaits families at the Lynden Pioneer Museum

Published by Visit Bellingham

Authored by Hilary Parker

Start with the pioneer homestead exhibits, with reproductions of pioneer-era barnyard, kitchen, parlor and bedrooms. You might just be tempted step into the past to cozy up with the bear-skin rug or on the old feather bed (unfortunately they are only for display).

Kids can sit inside the model of an old-fashioned outhouse. For some reason, this really captivated my kids – they were talking about it for days afterward!

Exhibits on agriculture, logging, military life and Dutch culture also fill the main floor. As kids explore the museum, they are given a “passport” where they can gather stamps and complete a scavenger hunt to find items around the museum.

Next, pass through the old-timey “Cozy Café” on the way to 1920s Lynden. A large part of the first floor is dedicated to a reproduction on Front Street from the late 1880s to 1920s. From the newspaper office to the milliners, the church, and even the saloon, visitors can get a feel for the Lynden of 100 years ago.