A diverse selection from our museum collections—objects brought to the Yakima Valley from different places, at different times, and under unique circumstances, will be on exhibit beginning February 14, 2003. Treasures from Around the World includes objects from China, Japan, Samoa, New Guinea, Alaska, and other areas around the world.

Over the past 125 years, many Yakima Valley residents have collected items that reflect their lives as missionaries in foreign lands, their travels for pleasure throughout the world, or simply a deep interest in other cultures and places. A good number of these things were eventually donated to the Yakima Valley Museum, but because these items do not illustrate aspects of the day-to-day lives of the local residents, they have rarely been displayed. Nevertheless, they were important to their local owners either as reminders of personal experiences outside the Yakima Valley or a fascination with the peoples and common objects of another place.