Community Calendar

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.

Styled by the Streets: Black Women in Hip-Hop Fashion explores how Black women transform Hip-Hop fashion into a cultural and political force, transcending the boundaries of music to influence global style, self-expression, and identity. From streetwear to couture, hair to jewelry, and iconic photography, the exhibition showcases style as a powerful expression of Black womanhood across 30 unique artifacts. Layered in late 1990s and early 2000s denim, holographic finishes, and Y2K palettes, the gallery highlights the artists and cultural creators who bring these iconic looks to life—centering the women visionaries whose creativity reshapes Black and Hip-Hop communities through storytelling, authorship, and legacy.

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.

Led by the imaginative choreographer Hervé Koubi, Compagnie Hervé brings the mesmerizingly kinetic Sol Invictus to Bellingham for the first time! Named after the “invincible sun” deity of Ancient Rome, the work is a gravity-defying fusion of contemporary movement, capoeira, and urban dance that transforms the stage into a playground for possibilities. It upholds love as the guarantor of peace, asserting that despite fracture, communion remains humanity’s saving grace. Embodying perseverance and hope, the piece imagines a community where the "foreigner" no longer exists, borders become fluid, and everyone defines themselves freely, escaping stereotypes.

Styled by the Streets: Black Women in Hip-Hop Fashion explores how Black women transform Hip-Hop fashion into a cultural and political force, transcending the boundaries of music to influence global style, self-expression, and identity. From streetwear to couture, hair to jewelry, and iconic photography, the exhibition showcases style as a powerful expression of Black womanhood across 30 unique artifacts. Layered in late 1990s and early 2000s denim, holographic finishes, and Y2K palettes, the gallery highlights the artists and cultural creators who bring these iconic looks to life—centering the women visionaries whose creativity reshapes Black and Hip-Hop communities through storytelling, authorship, and legacy.

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.

Hailing from Duluth, Minnesota, Trampled by Turtles was initially formed as a side project by frontman Dave Simonett in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who ransacked his vehicle while he played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, Simonett began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification.

Their crossover appeal has landed Trampled by Turtles on the #1 spot of Billboard’s Bluegrass Charts with every record they’ve released, all the while playing festivals like Coachella, ACL Fest, and Lollapalooza. Following this success, the band set out on countless tours with diverse artists solidifying a loyal fanbase.