Whale Museum in friday harbor

By Anne Erickson

Spotting an Orca is the quintessential San Juan Islands experience, and the best way to guarantee a sighting is a visit to The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor. This museum is also a must-stop for anyone who’s been lucky enough to spot an orca in the wild; because once you see one, you’ll want to figure out how to repeat the experience.

Launched in 1979 to share research on the southern resident orcas, it was the first museum in the country dedicated to a species of wild animal. And in the more than 40 years it has been open within sight of the very waters where this extended family group of whales lives for the majority of their lives, The Whale Museum has helped people from all over the world learn about - and advocate for – these endangered orcas.

One of the museum’s centerpieces is a memorial of sorts: the skeleton of Sooke, a three-year-old member of the L-pod that washed up on Long Beach in 2012, dead from trauma that left no open wounds. Though there are other skeletons in the museum, little Sooke is the one that illustrates how fragile this population of local orcas is. There’s also an extensive family tree showing the genealogy of all the Southern Resident orcas, including Sooke’s family, complete with photos of dorsal fins and saddle patches for identification: an orca’s saddle patch is as individual as a human fingerprint. Visitors can hear and see whales here, and there’s also plenty to learn about other denizens of the Salish Sea. Visiting is a surefire way to catch the ever-present buzz of orca obsession that’s everywhere in the San Juan Islands, and get some solid whale watching tips. “We also offer guidance on viewing the whales from any platform – boat, kayak or land,” said Atkinson.

You can add a southern resident to your family pod with the Adopt An Orca program, and take a specific orca under your fin. Adoption includes a personalized certificate with a photo of your whale, a biography and genealogy chart of your new addition, some orca swag including a bumper sticker, and best of all, a one-year museum membership – which means free admission and a 10% discount at the Museum Store: Not a bad deal for $40.

Or, bring a whale to work: The museum has an awesome selection of virtual backgrounds shot by local photographers. For $10 you can choose from dozens of photos of San Juan Island wildlife, among them southern resident orcas breaching, spy-hopping and having far more fun that you’re having at your 9:30 am Zoom huddle. Check out the zoom background gallery HERE.

You can also support the museum by shopping online for all things Salish Sea at The Whale Museum gift shop.  Orca cookie cutters,  a T-shirt depicting each and every member of the J pod, and handmade orca masks by island resident Shelley Alan are just a handful of the one-of-a-kind items you can buy. Also worth noting again, the brick and mortar museum store remains open under current COVID-19 guidelines.

Whether you pick up an orca plushie, get an Orca Adoption, or plan a visit to The Whale Museum, you're supporting far more than a learning institution. You're supporting the Southern Resident Community of Orcas who cruise these waters, gracing us all with their presence.

“By sharing the orcas’ stories, we believe people develop a connection to them, thereby inspiring them to become orca stewards,” said Atkinson.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19 there are some new things to expect when you visit The Whale Museum:

• Limited museum capacity - we may ask you to come back later.
• Cloth face covering must be worn at all times during your visit.
• Social distancing - please keep 6 feet of distance from staff and other visitors.
• All interactive exhibits are temporarily closed.
• Hand sanitizer is available - we ask visitors to use it or provide their own.
• Updated gift shop protocols - staff will gladly explain during your visit.
• THANK YOU for your patience and for visiting The Whale Museum safely!