Renton Historical Society

The mission of the Renton Historical Society is to document, preserve, and educate about Renton's rich heritage in ways that engage diverse people of all ages.

The Renton Historical Society was founded by local teachers and librarians in 1966 to preserve Renton's history. After years of organizing small exhibits in local libraries, in 1979 the Historical Society signed a 99-year lease on Renton's Historic Fire Station #1 to serve as a museum, located on the unceded land of the Duwamish people. The Renton History Museum is now jointly operated by the City of Renton and the Renton Historical Society, an educational nonprofit. The Museum and the Historical Society are committed to advancing values of diversity and inclusion in its exhibits, programs, events, and other services.

The Renton History Museum connects people to the history of their community through exhibits, programs, publications, events, classroom curricula, and care of our collection of historical objects and photos. The Museum is committed to offering innovative programs and collaborating with individuals and organizations in our community to bring to "capture the past, educate the present, and inspire the future." We have created exhibits with students from Renton High School, ESL students from Renton Technical College, Museology students from UW, members of Newcastle Historical Society, and the Renton Municipal Arts Commission. Check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for more details about our many projects.