Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
MOHAI's home at the Naval Reserve Armory in Lake Union Park
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 Location within Washington (state)
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| Established | 1952 |
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| Location | South Lake Union |
| Coordinates | 47°37′39″N 122°20′12″W / 47.6276°N 122.3366°WCoordinates: 47°37′39″N 122°20′12″W / 47.6276°N 122.3366°W |
| Director | Leonard Garfield |
| Public transit access | South Lake Union Streetcar |
| Website | mohai |
The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) is a history museum located in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. MOHAI is the largest private heritage organization in the State of Washington maintaining a collection of nearly 4 million artifacts, photographs, and archival materials that primarily focus on Seattle and the greater Puget Sound region. A portion of this collection (roughly 2% at any given time) is on display in the museum's galleries at the historic Naval Reserve Armory in Lake Union Park. Highlights include Boeing's first commercial plane, the 1919 Boeing B-1; the Petticoat Flag, an 1856 American Flag sewn by women during the Battle of Seattle; and the Rainier Brewing Company's 12-foot tall neon "R" sign. In addition to both permanent and temporary exhibits, MOHAI administers ongoing youth and adult programming, and regularly hosts public events in partnership with other community organizations, particularly within the South Lake Union neighborhood. MOHAI is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and is a Smithsonian affiliate museum.
In 1911, Morgan and Emily Carkeek hosted the first annual Founder's Day party at their home, which was an invitation-only event where guests dressed in historic costumes and brought artifacts and documents related to early Seattle. An outcome of these parties was the establishment of the Seattle Historical Society in 1914, the membership of which was limited to white settlers and their descendants.
The Seattle Historical Society lacked a building to house their museum. Several attempts to find a permanent location were abandoned because of challenging financial circumstances, especially during the Depression, and the fact that the original society members were aging and new members were hard to come by. The collection continued to grow, however. In 1945, Boeing offered $50,000 towards an aviation wing, and over the next 5 years, the Society successfully procured its former site in Montlake. During this time the Society became a more public and civically-minded institution, opening up the Founder's day to community and service organizations. The new museum opened in 1952.
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