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Renton History Museum operated from 1979-2025. It was closed by an abrupt, privately-made decision by the city with no public input.
The City of Renton celebrates our 125th birthday on September 6th, two months after our nation celebrates its 250th birthday on July 4. Renton will become half the age of the USA.
This milestone occurs the same summer that world-wide visitors will be filling Renton’s hotels to attend World Cup soccer events. But if these visitors want to learn anything about Renton’s storied history, they won’t find it at the Renton History Museum. Until last year, the Museum building was filled with 45,000 historic artifacts curated by the non-profit community-run Renton Historical Society. But in January 2025, the City of Renton abruptly evicted Renton Historical Society and their artifacts from the surplussed-firehouse museum building that they had leased since 1979. The City said they were going to make urgently needed updates to the building and then operate the museum as a city department. Nearly a year and a half later there have been no building updates, and the City has not put any displays in the Museum.
The City-posted sign on the Museum door says it’s closed for renovations January through April. No renovations are occurring and non-museum uses are now being scheduled into the building
Fortunately, Renton Historical Society carefully boxed and stored their 45,000 Renton artifacts, photographs and documents last year when they were evicted, and they just purchased their own historic downtown building to rebuild a Museum. Their replacement building is across the street from their previous building. It is the oldest brick building in Renton, built in 1898, and an excellent location for them to share their artifacts, hold classes and workshops, and provide office space for their many volunteers that help run the Society.
Renton Historical Society has purchased the two-story brick Snoqualmie Falls Power Substation Building, built in 1898, and its attached annex, across the street from the Renton History Museum.
The Society’s commendable actions upheld decades of commitment to their present and past donors and volunteers, who have documented local stories, supplied antiques and cash, and even left entire estates to Renton Historical Society to benefit the public. Even during this time of displacement, Renton Historical Society has kept their photographs and artifacts available to the public and maintained regular office hours at their temporary leased location at Renton Technical College, where they have some items on display and many available in indexed boxes. They have also continued to share photos and stories on their website.
The Renton Historical Society’s artifacts, photographs, maps and other items fill multiple rooms at the Renton Technical College Annex, where the society has been leasing space this past year.
Did this have to happen?
On January 30, 2025 the Renton Reporter ran a story titled “Renton Historical Society asked to remove artifacts from museum for renovations“. The article includes this statement taken from a Renton Historical Society press release, “Most noteworthy is the fact that the city cannot provide financial or logistical support to any outside organization, including nonprofits like the Renton Historical Society. As a result of this change of city policy, the Renton Historical Society now manages its own administrative, financial and fundraising efforts.” I assume someone at the City of Renton had told them this, but it does not ring true.
Washington law RCW 27.48.010 clearly states that Cities can provide “quarters” and funding for museums, consistent with the historic lease and operating agreement between the City and Museum.
This long-time Washington law empowers cities to “provide quarters” for museums, as Renton did.
In the same Renton Reporter article the City says the move was required for renovation:
“Renton communications and engagement director Laura Pettitt said the forced move is due to planned renovations. The museum is currently in the process of undergoing renovations, and every item in the building is slated for removal, whether owned by the city or the Renton Historical Society or any other entity,” Pettitt said. ”
A year and a half later, with no renovations evident, it’s hard to believe that the need for an urgent renovation drove this change. Especially because the city is now hosting some non-museum activities in the building. It might be that City leadership simply became disinterested in our local history.
The only thing we know for sure is that Renton Historical Society has done a solid job protecting Renton’s history, and they deserve our gratitude for it.
A 1979 partnership between the Historical Society and the City created the Renton History Museum to provide public education and preserve local history. The Renton Historical Society occupied the old fire station building for $1 per year, on a perpetually renewing annual lease. The Historical Society paid utilities, and performed regular maintenance, including care of the landscape. The Historical Society provided the exhibits, staffed the museum, applied for grants, and conducted fundraising drives. Starting in the 1980s, the city provided one staff person to help run and manage the museum.
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