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guided Downtown walking Tours
The Kittitas County Historical Museum is excited to offer guided walking tours in Downtown Ellensburg that share our local history, heritage, and culture!
Each guided walking tour is led by a local historian or specialist who is both well-versed in local history and eager to highlight the people and places that have made Ellensburg what it is today! The tour will highlight the stories behind the buildings, artwork, architecture, and people who have made Ellensburg what it is – and even few dark tales.
Our guided walking tours are definitely a delightful and one-of-a-kind experience for two persons, a family, or a group!
Enthralled group listening intently during one of our guided walking tours
Join Us for a Guided Downtown Walking Tour During the Summer!
Explore Downtown Ellensburg with our amazing historian Mike McCloskey who will share tales of our community’s history and heritage through this fantastic free tour. Come learn about the people, businesses, events, and places that have shaped the city into what it is today and discover that there is more to our community than what meets the eye.
Our local historians will guide attendees on a 90 minute walk along the streets of historic Downtown Ellensburg, where stories will be told about the Great Ellensburgh Fire of July 4, 1889 and the devastation it wrought, along with what was created from its ashes. Learn about the major players in Ellensburg’s history, including the well-known and those the history books often forget, and what roles they had to play in shaping our community into what it is today. Find out about what businesses have graced the community past and present (and possibly even a look toward the future), and much more! Questions are always welcome on this wonderful tour about town.
When is it?
Our guided History Walking Tour program is offered each summer! We are excited to offer the following dates for 2025:
Get Your Tickets Today!
Guests are able to register by clicking the links in the above date(s)
or by visiting our online Box Office Here!
These 90-minute walking tours are sidewalk-based (and do not go into any buildings). Each tour will leave the Museum promptly at the scheduled time. Guests need to be prepared for all types of weather and should wear comfortable walking shoes. Guests should arrive early in order to allow for time to check in before the start of the tour.
The tour is subject to cancellation if there are less than 4 attendees. No more than 20 persons per tour.
Pre-registration via our online ticket portal is highly encouraged as it helps to confirm attendance on a tour (and that it won’t be cancelled for lack of registration/attendance). Walk-up registration may be permitted if space is available (no guaranteed admittance).
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Tours are FREE and donations are welcomed.
Tours may be cancelled unexpectedly due to extreme heat or adverse weather conditions (such as wildfire smoke) or tour guide illness. In those circumstances, the Museum will do its best to announce any such cancellations before the scheduled tour. If no one is registered for the tour, the tour may be removed from the schedule without any notice.
Other dates and times may be available upon request. Contact us to learn more at https://kchm.org/contact-us/
To find out what other programs are happening at our museum, visit our calendar of events at https://kchm.org/events-exhibits/
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Local History: Attendees will discover how the Great Ellensburgh Fire of July 4, 1889 shaped our local community and what buildings arose from the ashes during this 60-minute or 90-minute walk-through Historic Downtown Ellensburg. Attendees will also find out how building architecture has changed over time, along with what buildings were lost. Depending on your tour guide and if time allows, stories may be shared about the businesses and individuals that occupied the buildings along with other tales about those who have helped to shape our community into what it is today.
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Public Art: During this 60-minute walk through Downtown Ellensburg and its nearby neighborhoods, attendees will learn about the artists and the beautiful artwork that has been woven into the fabric of our community. Attendees will discover and explore the artwork – both big and small, whether as sculptures, paintings, historic and modern murals, and/or architecture, and how it all helps to make our community unique. Attendees will also hear about some interesting stories that are just hiding in plain sight. **Suspended**
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Haunted Legends: During this 90-minute walk in Downtown Ellensburg and neighboring streets, attendees will learn about some of Ellensburg’s darkest stories. Tour guides will share accounts of true crime, mysterious happenings, unusual incidents, and what has occurred but most do not know. In many cases, the locations and buildings included in this tour have been considered haunted but it is up to attendees to learn the truth and question for themselves if the truth is stranger than fiction. **Suspended**
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Specialized or Private Tour: If your group is interested in a specialized topic or private tour, we can definitely accommodate! Please contact us for more information. **Suspended**
Private tours may be arranged depending on tour guide availability. Please contact us to learn more!
If you are interested in scheduling a tour, please contact us to discuss options.
Please note that at this time many of our tours are currently suspended due to a lack of volunteer tour guides. If you are interested in being a volunteer, click here!
At this time many of our other guided walking tours are suspended due to a lack of volunteer tour guides.
If you are interested in being a volunteer for our guided walking tours, click here!
If you have questions about our guided tours, please check out our FAQs page here!
Rules and Regulations:
Pre-Registration is Requested but not Required for free Guided Downtown Walking Tours.
Paid tours require payment to be made before attending the tour.
Tours are limited to a minimum of 4 people and a maximum of 20 people.
Tours are sidewalk-based and leave promptly at the scheduled time. Guests need to be prepared for all types of weather and should wear comfortable walking shoes.
All tours are expected to be 60-90 minutes.
Tours are subject to change and cancellation without prior notice. In the event of cancellation, paid tours will be refunded.
Tours are free but Donations are greatly appreciated but not required. Donations are nonrefundable. The Museum is a private, nonprofit organization and all donations receive support the Museum’s ongoing operations including providing tours like this.
If a tour is cancelled, there is no promise or guarantee of the tour being rescheduled.
If there are any questions, concerns, or issues with our Guided Downtown Walking Tours, please contact us.
