The Pandemic claims another victim

The Bellingham Railway Museum was formed in 2003, and set up in a storefront in historic downtown Bellingham. It amassed a small but interesting collection, and included two model railways and several train tables for particularly young museum goers. The museum was popular and had community support, but unfortunately it was not equipped to handle the impacts of the March closure necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. In June their Board of Trustees announced that the closure would be permanent.

The Northwest Railway Museum is located about two hours south of Bellingham, and was identified in filings with Washington State as Collection's the successor organization. So over the summer, the Museum's Registrar Cristy L. coordinated the inventory, packing, and transport to Snoqualmie of the Bellingham Railway Museum collection. In all, more than 400 file storage boxes and several trailers of larger artifacts were moved. Highlights include dining car china, locally-significant lanterns, posters & photos, and a beautiful Lionel train layout, the best of which will be incorporated into the Train Shed Exhibit Hall.

The Northwest Railway Museum extends its condolences to the Trustees, former staff, volunteers, members and the Bellingham community for the loss of their museum. The closure of any museum is heart-breaking, and should not have to happen as a consequence of a public health emergency.

The Museum posted a short blog about this development, and intends to write another story about the Bellingham Railway Museum collection at a future date.

Meanwhile, many museum field leaders remain concerned about the financial devastation the pandemic is exacting on museums everywhere, and surveys of museums about their financial health suggest as many as 1/3 are in jeopardy. Unfortunately that suggests that the Bellingham Railway Museum may not be the last railway museum to shutter.

Richard R. Anderson
Northwest Railway Museum

It is tragic what's happening all around, for sure!

But when looked at as a portion of the bigger picture of
all that's presently going on in the USA, and around the world,
the loss of railroad museums pales by comparison to the general
trends.

We are looking at nothing less than the collapse of civilization.

Railroad museums being lost is just a dead canary in a mine shaft.

Agreed Chuck.

Museums and tourist railroads have had 7+ months to pivot. How many have tried?
Worldwide (this isn’t a USA thing) times are changing. You don’t have to be happy about it, but it’s important that you accept reality and lead your organization into the future.

Kudos to Bellingham and to NW Railway Museum for having a succession plan and for implementing it.

Phil Mulligan