Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Lacey Historical Commission approved new museum archives and adopted a full calendar of hours and closures through 2026, as it prepares for the museum’s debut at Bell Towne Center.
The actions were taken at the commission’s meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 20.
The commission approved three accessions for permanent inclusion in the City of Lacey’s collection. The review process is mandated under Lacey Municipal Code 2.4.050 and involves the Historical Commission and Museum Curator Erin Quinn Valcho.
The first donation came from the Greater Olympia Dixieland Jazz Society, which submitted a second and final installment of records documenting the annual festival organized at Saint Martin’s University.
The collection contains organizational minutes, bylaws, business files, event documentation, photographs and commemorative items.
Commissioners recalled the festival’s ability to attract musicians and audiences nationwide, and its impact on hotel occupancy and parking facilities in Lacey.
Another major addition came from the Mayes-Hawk family, which contributed obituaries, funeral programs, marriage certificates and photographs tracing the early settlement of Hawks Prairie’s.
Hawks Prairie Elementary School was named for Lydia Hawk Mayes. The donation builds the genealogy archive with original records from a family central to early settlement in northeast Lacey.
The third contribution was the Thurston County School Retirees Association’s annual donation of directories and newsletters.
It is part of a long-term project to document the careers of local educators and the association’s history.
Valcho said during the review, “That’s a normal thing that we do,” noting the collection builds year over year.
In terms of the museum’s relocation timeline, Valcho said the fabrication of exhibit platforms is in progress, with delivery expected by late August.
Pedestals are under construction by maintenance crews, and exhibit panels have passed through an initial review.
Staff have cleared the Russell House front room and packed archival materials, including acquisitions awaiting processing, for transfer to Bell Towne Center.
“Once those platforms are here, we’ll make a date,” said Valcho, explaining that the relocation timeline depends on vendor production.
She added the move will open 1,100 square feet for public exhibits and programs, wherein it will allow displays of artifacts previously kept in storage.
Russell House will reopen as a research center following the museum’s launch.
Valcho said the staged opening will begin with archival resources most frequently requested by researchers.
“As soon as I can get the main resources that people want to use ready and the front room ready for people, then I will open,” she said.
Public schedule
The commission also approved hours and closures for both facilities through 2026.
Valcho said the museum will operate Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
It will close Thanksgiving weekends in 2025 and 2026, on Christmas and New Year’s Day, Juneteenth on June 19, 2026, the July 3 citywide event, Independence Day, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 2026.
Meanwhile, the Russell House research center will be open Tuesday from noon to 4 p.m. and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with additional research time available by appointment.
The center will close on Veterans Day in 2025 and 2026, as well as on Christmas Eve in 2025.
Valcho said the midweek schedule was selected to bypass holiday disruptions and provide access for peopke visiting on lunch breaks.
A reopening date for the Lacey Museum at Bell Towne Center has not yet been announced.
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