The days are getting shorter, cooler and more rainy. If you’re looking for a fun, indoorsy outing that celebrates the outdoors, check out the We Are Puget Sound exhibition at the University of Washington’s Burke Museum through the end of the year.  

Washington Conservation Action published the book of the same name in 2019 along with Braided River, an imprint of Mountaineers books. It’s a collection of essays and photographs that celebrate the people, wildlife, plants, communities​, places,​ and ecosystems that make up the Salish Sea. It became a traveling exhibit that was showcased around the Salish Sea region.  

The Burke Museum offering is an expanded version of that traveling show. It includes an interactive ACT NOW component suggesting “10 things you can do” to support the health of the Salish Sea. Everyone has a role to play in protecting our beautiful region—already more than 3000 people have signed the pledge and are making a difference. 

From southern resident orcas and Chinook salmon to community gardens and the annual Indigenous Canoe Journey, you can connect more deeply to the lifeways of our region. Hear from the scientists, advocates and Tribal members who are working to protect and restore the waterways, communities and wildlife of the Puget Sound.  

The special exhibit brings stories to life with stunning photography and inspirational stories of people’s passion for the Salish Sea. It incorporates items like the giant orca skull from the​ ​renowned collection of the museum.  

“Collaborating closely with the authors, photographers, community members, researchers and activists that are the lifeblood of the We Are Puget Sound campaign was one of the most rewarding parts of the project,” says Rowe Redick, Exhibit Developer at The Burke Museum. “It resulted in what I believe is an authentically hopeful exhibit that highlights great work being done in local conservation – work that we collectively need to undertake to bring healing to our shared home.  We Are Puget Sound exhibit closes on December 31, 2023. We hope that the commitments to action that guests make in interacting with the exhibit will continue to live on and positively impact the region.” 

The exhibit is sponsored by 4 Culture, The Hugh and Jane Ferguson Foundation, the Lummi Nation, Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, Squaxin Island Tribe, Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians, Suquamish Foundation, and Washington Conservation Action.

Check it out!