Lacey Museum Seeks Oral History Project Participants

The Lacey Museum and Cultural Center (Lacey Museum) recently launched Stories of the South Sound, an oral history project to collect stories of underrepresented cultural, racial, ethnic, and identity-based communities in the South Sound. Community members are invited to share their connection.

“Stories of the South Sound is a project that takes a collaborative approach towards recording and preserving people’s stories,” says Museum Coordinator, Felicia Rova-Chamroeun. “Community members we interview can decide how their stories are recorded and how they can be shared. The Lacey Museum intends to record what
is comfortable and of importance to the people who are sharing their personal experiences.”

The project aims to diversify the museum archives and foster an active, community-based, and inclusive history of the South Sound, including Lacey, Nisqually, Olympia, Squaxin Island, Tumwater, and surrounding areas.

“We want to make sure people from our community see themselves represented when they walk into our space. Stories of the South Sound is a project that will build on our progress in understanding how we, as a museum, can be a better community resource, more inclusive in our storytelling practices, and create sustainable relationships with our local communities.” says Rova-Chamroeun.

The Lacey Museum received funding for the project from the Washington State Historical Society’s Diversity in Local History Grant.

To participate, fill out the online form or visit the Lacey Museum, 829 Lacey St SE, or Lacey City Hall, 420 College St SE, for a physical copy.

Story-sharing Event Scheduled for February 17
The museum will also host MemoryLab, a drop-in, story-sharing event at the Lacey Museum on February 17, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Individuals can share a shorter and more informal oral history with the museum or sign-up for a longer one. Watch for more information on the Lacey Museum website in the coming weeks.

The Lacey Museum and Cultural Center offers free admission at 829 Lacey Street SE, Lacey, WA., Thursday-Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, email Museum@ci.lacey.wa.us, call (360) 438-0209, or visit LaceyMuseum.org.