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July 4, 2026, 10 AM - 4 PM
Spend part of your Fourth of July exploring one of the moments that forever changed Ellensburg history.
The Kittitas County Historical Museum will be open special holiday hours from 10 AM–4 PM on Friday, July 4. Visitors are invited to explore exhibits throughout the Museum, including displays commemorating the Great Ellensburgh Fire of July 4, 1889 — the devastating blaze that destroyed 10 downtown blocks and left more than 200 people homeless.
Learn how the city rebuilt in the weeks and months that followed, transforming the appearance and future of downtown Ellensburg, while also exploring the many theories that still surround the fire more than a century later.
Admission is always free.
Permanent Exhibit
Come see unique pieces of local soda bottling equipment, a wide variety of pioneer medicines, and tales of moonshining, bootlegging, and disasters that unfolded afterward.
November 29, 2026, 10 AM - 4 PM
On Sunday, November 29, 2026, the Kittitas County Historical Museum in historic Downtown Ellensburg invites shoppers to participate in Museum Store Sunday, an annual holiday shopping day supporting cultural institutions and their stores.
June 22, 2026, 6 PM - 8 PM
🪶 Beading Beauties meets every 4th Monday from 6–8 PM at the Kittitas County Historical Museum. Celebrate the art, history, and creativity of beadwork in a welcoming space for culture, craft, and community.