The Two Rivers Heritage Museum will reopen on Thursday after its annual winter closing for repairs and additions.
Guests can expect to see mostly the same exhibits as in the past, highlighting local history in schools, Native American artifacts and baskets, the Camas paper mill and Pendleton Woolen Mills. While closed, new vinyl flooring was added to the museum’s 1930s kitchen area and hallway ramp.
The one new exhibit at the museum, 1 Durgan St., Washougal, this year is outside, and it comes from the old Camas Train Depot, according to Lois Cobb, volunteer coordinator at the museum. It’s an old metal hooping structure, which was used to deliver messages.
“It has arms on it, and they tie it onto this structure, and as the train ran through, the crew would reach out and grab the message,” Cobb said.
A former worker took it home once the train company didn’t have use for it anymore. He used it as his house as a stand, and asked museum officials if they wanted it.
Another new feature this year is an organized research library, which is courtesy of Judy Mason, the museum’s new librarian.
“We’ve had lots and lots of books, but we never could get them organized until Judy came on,” Cobb said. “She’s been working two months to get that organized. She accomplished wonders.”
While guests can’t check out the books, they can come in during library hours and use them for research.
The museum is open 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays from March through October. Admission costs are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, $2 for students and free for children under 5 and all museum members. For more information, call 360-835-8742.
The museum will host an open house from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and admissions will be $1 off regular pricing that day.
