Culture

Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
net weights in the archaeology collection

Archaeology

The Archaeology Collections reflect how people live through the objects they leave behind.

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close up of a cowlitz basket

Bill Holm Center

The Bill Holm Center is the premier center for the study of Native arts of the Pacific Northwest.

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baskets on a shelf

Contemporary Culture

The Contemporary Cultural Collections reflect living and dynamic cultures. 

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News & Stories

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Two men kneel in an archaeological dig site and closely examine sediment for artifacts News

3,500-year-old pumpkin spice?

Archaeologists find the earliest use of nutmeg as a food ingredient and evidence of the transition to early farming practices in Indonesia.

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A large whale carving is carefully hoisted by a crane Blog

Moving monumental figures to prepare for the Burke’s big move

If you’ve been to the museum or walked by the main entrance lately, you may have noticed some changes to the outdoor art.

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A woman gently cleans the boiserie panel with a cotton ball Blog

Elbow grease and artificial saliva: Boiserie panels being restored

The beloved boiserie panels are being restored with resin, acrylic paint, and a lot of care.

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Featured Projects

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close up of a carved comb Project

Coast Salish Art

An introduction to the art of the First Peoples of western Washington and southwestern British Columbia who speak the Coast Salish languages.

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a series of four screenshots from a black and white film recording Project

Ka̱ns Hiłile (Making it Right)

A collaborative project reuniting archival media into a new digital whole, shaped by—and integrated with—active cultural knowledge by Kwag’uł contributors.

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aerial view of a piece of land sticking out into puget sound Resource

The archaeology of Seattle's West Point

A 1992 construction site led to a significant discovery of cultural remains of local Native Americans that lived at and used the site for thousands of years.

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Land Acknowledgement

The Burke Museum stands on the lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong.