Seattle has plenty of great museums, even several free ones. However, the more unique, special collection museums are getting rarer as the years go on. That being said, Washington has not lost all of its uniqueness because it is home to the NW Carriage Museum – one of America’s best collections of 19th-century horse-drawn vehicles.
The NW Carriage Museum is located in Raymond, Washington, about a 2 hour and 20-minute drive from Seattle. It’s home to all sorts of horse-drawn vehicles including “elegant carriages, common day buggies, work wagons, coaches, sleighs, and thousands of period artifacts and clothing.”
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The carriages have come from generous donations, as well as acquisition by the museum itself. Most carriages are from the 1880s through the 1890s. Some of the pieces are of great cultural significance having been used as props in movies like “Gone With the Wind” or Shirley Temple’s “The Little Princess” and “Virginia City” with Errol Flynn and Humphrey Bogart.
Not only does the museum have over 60 vehicles, there’s also a one-room schoolhouse, a wheelwright and blacksmith shop as well as a gift shop filled with unique items, many of which are local.
Seriously, when was the last time you visited a museum with a collection this unique? Check it out and let us know which carriage is your favorite!
NW Carriage Museum
Where: 314 Alder Street, Raymond, WA
Hours: Daily 10 AM-4 PM
Cost: $5-$25
