Community Calendar

Got a big dream of playing the Tiny Desk? Send us a video of you playing one song behind a desk of your choosing. If you win, you'll get to play your very own Tiny Desk concert and go on tour with NPR Music. When you enter the 2026 Tiny Desk Contest, you join a nationwide community of music-makers and creators. Get started on your video now! GET ALL THE DETAILS HERE.

Here's what you do:
Create a new video that shows you playing one song you've written.
Do it the way you'd perform a Tiny Desk concert: at a desk. (Any desk!)
Upload your video to YouTube.
Fill out the entry form after it opens at 10 a.m. ET on January 13 and before 11:59 p.m. ET on February 9, 2026.

The winner will:
Play a Tiny Desk concert at NPR in Washington, D.C.
Be featured on NPR’s All Things Considered
Headline NPR Music's Tiny Desk Contest On The Road tour

Rainier Avenue Radio presents Call to Conscience, celebrating 100 years of Black History Month. Through immersive installations and Programs, the historic Columbia City Theater will transform into an exhilarating curated Black History Month museum celebrating the legacy, resilience, and contributions of Black communities in Seattle, Tacoma, and beyond.

This year’s museum features curated cultural installations and exhibits highlighting:

● The Seattle Chapter of the Black Panther Party
● The Hartsfield Enslaved Quilt Collection
● The history of religion in Seattle’s Black communities
● Jackson Street Jazz, including the legacy of Quincy Jones
● A History of Black Tacoma, presented by T. Heard
● An exhibit showcasing Blackpast.org and Dr. Quintard Taylor, founder of BlackPast.org
● The Rainier Cinema Vintage Black Movie Poster and Magazine Collection
● A history of Black Athletes and Administrators in the Metro League The month-long experience will also include special events such as:
● “Preserving Your Legacy”, featuring Phil Armstrong, former Executive Director of Tulsa’s Greenwood Rising Museum.

Plus special programs including a tribute to Seattle icon Lenny Wilkens, hosted and featuring former NBA and Sonics legends Spencer Haywood and James Donaldson; and a live history of funk performance and music honoring Parliament/Funkadelic, featuring KG and the Star 5, with a special appearance by Teleclere.

Hours are Thursday and Friday, 3-7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The period from the 1870s to the 1900s, known as the Gilded Age, saw the rise of the railroad, textile industry, and production. It also saw a rise in migration to US cities, providing workers to fill low paying jobs producing many of the fashions of the era. This era marked a turning point in fashion as new technologies and changing cultural norms transformed the ways in which people dressed.

Explore this history and enjoy the rare chance to see clothing, notions, and artifacts of the period from the Washington State Historical Society collections.

Never Turn Back: Echoes of African American Music unveils the profound legacy of Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul artists who shaped the soundscape of American culture and used their music as instruments of resistance, identity, and representation.

Gospel, Blues, Jazz, and Soul embody the profound influence of African American music on culture and history. From the spiritual foundations and transformative movements of Gospel hymns to the revolutionary improvisations of Jazz, the Blues’ Southern roots rising from the Mississippi Delta, and Soul’s powerful amplification of the Civil Rights and Black Power Movements, these genres have defined the unique sound and undying spirit of a nation that continues to echo through contemporary Black music today.

This is a permanent exhibition. Since time immemorial, Tribal nations have existed in this place we call Washington. This Is Native Land invites visitors to understand Washington State through the lived experiences and voices of its Native people.

Tribal nations are sovereign nations. Today, Native history, culture, and community thrive in our state. Through everyday acts of sovereignty – big and small – Indigenous peoples demonstrate they are still here, they have persevered, and they will always be here.

This Is Native Land is guided by three teachings:
We are of the land and waters
With knowledge comes responsibility
Sovereignty protects people, lands, and waters

These teachings are shared through multimedia, artwork, and interactive objects designed for guest engagement. They represent a contemporary continuation of Tribal stories and traditions.

Over 100 Native contributors from more than 60 Tribes shaped the exhibition’s stories and content. We thank the Native Advisory Committee and all community participants for their contributions.

Stories are shaped by the ways we tell them. In Shaping the Story: Designs for the Theatre by Carey Wong, go behind the scenes to see how theatre sets bring stories to life. During a career spanning over 50 years, Carey Wong has designed sets and costumes for more than 300 productions, including operas, plays, musicals, and ballets.

This exhibition features scale models of his designs in addition to costumes, set pieces, and stories of Washington’s rich entertainment history. From sketches of an idea to fully realized sets, explore how a designer’s decisions craft the world of a story.

LeMay – America’s Car Museum proudly presents The Birth of the American Supercar, a groundbreaking exhibition guest curated by renowned automotive innovator Steve Saleen. This one-of-a-kind display invites guests on an exhilarating journey through the evolution of American supercars. From early speed pioneers to cutting-edge modern marvels, visitors will experience a stunning lineup of vehicles that have redefined engineering, speed, and style, built by a wide range of American automotive manufacturers like Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Saleen himself, and even some more obscure ones like Vector, Cunningham, and Hennessey. From roaring V8s to sleek carbon-fiber bodies, discover how American automakers pushed boundaries, challenged European rivals, and redefined what a supercar could be. This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to see some of the most thrilling and historically significant American-made performance vehicles ever built—all under one roof.

Childhood’s End Gallery presents its annual Studio Sale, featuring discounted and rarely seen works by beloved local artists including Jon Bradham, Sara Gettys, Kathy Gore-Fuss, Chuck Gumpert, Carla Paine, and Mimi Williams. The sale also includes a selection of unique, limited works by Marc Chagall, William Winden, and others. Begin the year with an exceptional find at a rare discount.

Jan 17 - Feb 22, 2026

Free

Childhood’s End Gallery
222 4th Ave W
Olympia WA 98501

360-943-3724

info@childhoods-end-gallery.com

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, the Washington State Historical Society invites you to explore the history of building the State History Museum. 30 Years and Counting: The Making of the Washington State History Museum is a special exhibition that uncovers the vision, effort, and community spirit that brought this iconic Tacoma landmark to life.

Discover the bold ideas and architectural ingenuity that shaped the museum’s distinctive look. From early sketches to final blueprints, see how the building’s design reflects both innovation and reverence for Washington’s past. Go behind the scenes of the museum’s construction. Through photographs and artifacts from the building process, witness how a dream took shape—brick by brick, beam by beam.

Staff Picks: 30 Objects for 30 Years

In a special feature area, museum staff share their favorite objects from the collection—each one a personal reflection on the power of history to inspire, surprise, and connect us.

Weekly Jazz with the Chris Binkley Quartet with guest artists from the cream of Pugetropolis's jazz world.