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.

Learn More

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.

Learn More

baskets on a shelf

Contemporary Culture

The Contemporary Cultural Collections reflect living and dynamic cultures. 

Learn More

News & Stories

See All Recent Updates

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.

More Details

a young woman lays cedar branches in a cedar canoe in the water Blog

Launching the Coast Salish s.dəxʷìł canoe

On a hot day in early July, a replica Coast Salish s.dəxʷìł dugout hunting canoe launched in the Green River.

More Details

a group of Native dancers on stage in regalia Blog

A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving for Educators and Families

A resource to help confront the impact of racism in children's daily lives as well as providing training for educators. 

More Details

Featured Projects

More

a family touches an interactive depicting salmon cooking over a fire pit Exhibit

Our Material World

From the food we put in our bodies to the furniture we put in our homes, human life is shaped by “stuff” all around us—and our stuff reveals surprising truths about our lives.

More Details

excerpt from a map showing historic waterways in the Seattle region Project

The Waterlines Project

Explore the dramatic changes to Seattle's landscapes and shorelines through The Waterlines Project.

More Details

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.

More Details

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.