Last fall, the Heritage Museum received the John D Spellman Award for exemplary achievement in Interpretation for highlighting and celebrating the histories of Vashon-Maury Island’s diverse communities, at a ceremony presided over by King County Executive, Dow Constantine, and the King County Office of Historic Preservation.
“The exhibits cited for the award, were conceived, curated, fundraised and constructed by volunteer community groups in coordination with the Museum, said Brian Brenno, president of the Vashon Maury Island Heritage Association, at the award ceremony. “The museum’s partnership with groups committed to telling stories of their heritage brought regional exposure to the museum and strengthened our bond with the Vashon community.”
Those groups included the Vashon Japanese-American community and supporters who put together “Joy and Heartache: Vashon’s Japanese-American Legacy,” and the vestiges of the Vashon Gay Pride Alliance, which was very active in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, who assembled the IN AND OUT exhibit.
Ellen Kritzman and Stephen Silha, curators for the In and Out exhibit, commented, “There is not a formally organized LGBTQ+ community on Vashon. The community is more a spread of disparate individuals who, while they may know each other, have never witnessed themselves represented publicly as an identified community. This exhibit represents and tells the story of the LGBTQ+ community on Vashon-Maury Island.”
Recently, the Museum was informed that it will also receive the 2020 Exhibit Award from AKCHO (Association of King County Historical Organizations) for the IN AND OUT exhibit. The ceremony was to have taken place April 29, but the Association has announced it will likely happen later in the summer. The public will be invited.
“The Vashon Heritage Museum is where history lives on Vashon.” commented Bruce Haulman, new Heritage Board President and longtime Vashon historian. “That history cannot be adequately told without including the stories of all of the people of Vashon. For too long the stories of women, people of color, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ islanders, and other marginalized groups have been left out of our island’s history. The Heritage Museum is committed to telling all of the stories that come together to form the living history of this magical island.”