Fort Nisqually

Mission Statement: Engaging a diverse regional audience with Puget Sound’s first globally connected settlement through historic preservation, experiential learning, and interpretation.

DEAI Statement: Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion in every aspect of our work to build a stronger and more meaningful museum experience for all. As stewards of Puget Sound’s first globally connected settlement, we honor the diverse histories and perspectives that have shaped our region.

• Diversity: We strive for a welcoming environment which embraces our diverse community, reflects the audience we serve, and represents Fort Nisqually’s rich history.
• Equity & Accessibility: We are committed to creating equitable experiences and access by removing barriers wherever possible to the museum for all attendees, volunteers, and staff.
• Inclusion: We aim to build a space of belonging where everyone feels valued and supported in their experience of the rich history of Fort Nisqually.

Welcome to Fort Nisqually Living History Museum! We encourage guests who have purchased admission to wander and explore the grounds of the museum at your own leisure. In order to help maintain the museum’s artifacts and buildings and ensure everyone’s safety, we have a few facility guidelines we would appreciate you follow.

Please:

• Be respectful to all staff, volunteers, and other guests. We want everyone to learn in a safe and welcoming environment.
• Engage with our staff in period clothing. We love sharing how people lived, worked, and played in the 1850s.
• Stay behind barriers, unless welcomed to enter by a staff member.
• No outside food and drinks in the historical buildings. You may eat on the grounds of the museum and in the Visitors’ Center or Large Store.
• Throw trash and recyclables away in marked, modern bins. The outside wooden barrels are not for rubbish.
• Pets must be on a leash at all times and are only allowed in the Visitors’ Center or Large Store, and on the grounds of the museum. Please refrain from bringing them into any historical structures and follow all other park rules and guidelines for pets. This guideline does not apply to service animals.
• Do not harass the animals of the museum, or any wildlife that wanders in. You may pet the museum cats if they let you.
• Photography and recordings are allowed during your visit at the museum. We ask you only use your phones/cameras; additional photography equipment such as tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed without approved permits.
• Keep watch over your children. All children under the age of 16 must have a parent or legal guardian nearby at all times. Staff and volunteers are not responsible for supervising your children unless they are participating in camp or youth programming.

Let our staff know if you have any questions. We hope you enjoy your visit to Fort Nisqually!

Fort Nisqually, the first globally connected settlement on the Puget Sound, was established in 1833 by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a fur trading outpost. The decline of the fur trade meant that Fort Nisqually’s focus shifted to commercial agricultural enterprises with the establishment of the Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC) in 1839. Based at Fort Nisqually, the PSAC raised cattle, sheep, and horses along with crops such as wheat, barley, oats, and peas across the 160,000 acres claimed by the company. By 1855, the date the museum portrays, this British establishment was surrounded by American territory and faced increasing pressure from settlers who wanted the farmable land for their own use. The Hudson’s Bay Company sold its holdings to the United States government, withdrawing from Washington Territory in 1869, and Fort Nisqually became the homestead of the last manager, Edward Huggins.

Fort Nisqually was originally located in what is now DuPont, WA. The Fort you see today was reconstructed in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Civic-minded citizens preserved and donated two of the original structures, the Factor’s House and Granary, to the Metropolitan Park District of Tacoma. The museum gives residents and visitors a chance to experience what life was like on Puget Sound in 1855.

1869 Coleman sketch of Fort Nisqually

The next 20 years at Fort Nisqually present an opportunity to rejuvenate its legacy through a series of enhancements and improvements inside and outside the Fort walls.

A plan has been developed to celebrate the work the museum has done and sets a new vision in time for Fort Nisqually’s Bicentennial in 2036.

Learn more about Fort Improvement Projects

Spring/Summer hours:

• May 1 – Sept 30
• Open Daily 11 am to 5 pm

Fall/Winter hours:

• Oct 1 – April 30
• Open Wednesday to Sunday 11 am to 4 pm

Closed

• Thursday, November 26, 2026
• Friday, December 25, 2026

Research Library

• Thursday 1 – 4 pm by appointment
• Closed on Thanksgiving

Museum Store
Open when museum is open

Inclement Weather Closures
Point Defiance Park and the Fort may be closed during severe weather conditions such as wind, snow or ice storms.

Point Defiance Park hours

• Open ½ hour before sunrise
• Close ½ hour after sunset

All Tacoma parks’ hours are set by the Tacoma municipal code (chapter 8.27.220). Exceptions may apply, see the municipal code for details.

Admission Prices

• Adult (18-64) $13.81
• Active Military/Senior (65+) $12.86
• Youth (4-17) $10.00
• Ages 3 & under Free
• Family (Max. 2 adults and 5 youth) $38.09

Free Admission

Fort Nisqually Members receive free admission.

• Learn how to become a fort member.
• Members must register to receive complimentary admission. Click here to register and learn more.

Fort Tickets also available at the Zoo!

All-day admission to the Fort can also be purchased while visiting the Zoo.

• These Fort admission tickets are available at the Zoo Front Gate, no advance sales with this offer.
• Valid for general admission.