Edmonds Historical Museum, History museum in downtown Edmonds, Washington, US

Edmonds Historical Museum occupies two floors of a former library building and features exhibits focused on local growth and regional heritage. The collection includes documents, photographs, and objects that tell the story of the area and its people.

The Carnegie Library opened on February 17, 1911, funded by a $5,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie to the Women's Library Club and the city librarian. Seattle architect and contractor H.B. Ward designed it to house the library, city hall, council chambers and a jail. City offices and the library moved to a new civic center in 1962, and in 1973 the city leased the building to the Edmonds–South Snohomish County Historical Society, which opened the museum on August 3, 1973.

The museum tells the story of how Edmonds and the surrounding county grew and changed through the eyes of local residents. Objects on display reveal how people lived, worked, and built their community over time.

You can arrange access to research materials through the museum staff and find educational programs scheduled throughout the year for different ages. Planning a visit in advance helps you make the most of what the museum offers.

The preserved jail cell is on the ground floor, part of the permanent displays, not in a basement. It survives from the 1911 Carnegie Library, which H.B. Ward of Seattle designed to hold the city hall, council chambers and a jail under one roof.