Close-up view of green tree leaves on the John Muir Trail near the Dalles Campground.
Raven dance ceremony

Arts, Culture & Heritage

What gives Washington its unique character? Washington is a coastal state in the far northwestern corner of the continental United States. It has an international border and several major Pacific Rim seaports. It is a proud stronghold of Native American arts and culture and home to loggers, fishermen, cowboys, software billionaires and legendary rock musicians.

Washington State is the land that begot Starbucks, Amazon.com, Boeing, Microsoft, Sub Pop Records, Jimi Hendrix and Nirvana. It is the site of Bruce Lee’s first martial arts academy (and his final resting place). It was the location for the popular television shows Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure. It is a place that lives on the cutting edge of technology but is still steeped in history. It is a thriving center for cinema and the performing arts and home to an incredible variety of truly unique museums and art galleries.

Featured Arts, Culture & Heritage

  • Cashmere Pioneer Village

    Cashmere is a charming oasis for travelers seeking an authentic sample of Washington. The museum houses treasures of historical interest and the village features twenty original pioneer structures dating back to the late 1800's.

  • Nutcracker Museum

    You'll just go nuts at this charming museum. Every kind of style, color, material, and design imagineable — over 5,000 nutcrackers with some dating back to the 1st century.

  • Vancouver National Historic Reserve

    Like walking into a history book, the reserve offers interpretive walks and ranger-led talks as well as living history programs, special events and multi-media presentations.


  • Lighthouses

    Along battered beaches, atop romantic bluffs and nestled in on tiny islands, Washington State lighthouses serve as both functional and aesthetic landmarks along its seaside waterways.