One of the biggest draws to the San Juan Islands is the whale-watching opportunities, and for those heading to the Northwest, with that in mind, you really must stop by the Friday Harbor Whale Museum. Established in 1979, this museum is dedicated to promoting stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. It was the first museum in the US focused on a species living in the wild! The museum also supports conservation efforts through initiatives like adopting an orca.
While the main museum is located in downtown Friday Harbor on First Street, across from the Courthouse, The Whale Museum also maintains a research station at Lime Kiln State Park, one of the best places in the world for whale watching from land. This outpost at the park is complete with a Listening Station for the study, a live webcam, and lots of ways to learn more about the conservation of our friendly underwater giants.
During your stay on San Juan Island, include a visit to The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor to learn more about whales, practice stewardship, hear about current studies, and, of course, participate in some whale watching. First, you’ll want to book your Friday Harbor lodging, and our bed and breakfast is the perfect central location to make your homebase. When you’re ready to relax and refresh our welcoming Inn, minutes from the ferry, will be awaiting you! With an array of accommodations, including family and pet-friendly rooms, a daily breakfast delivered to your door, and more complimentary amenities, this is the best place for your next vacation. Book today!
Head to the Friday Harbor Whale Museum on Your Next Visit
There are so many fantastic things to do in Friday Harbor, and The Whale Museum is always near the top of the list! It’s not only an educational stop but also full of exciting exhibits, interactive displays, and eye-opening facts and figures. Here’s everything you need to know about the Friday Harbor Whale Museum:
Learn About the SRKW
- The Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW or Orca) forms a tight-knit matriarchal family with a unique bond. The language and behavior of this magnificent creature are distinctive to the region’s resident population, unlike that of other types of Orca whales found in the region and around the world.
- At the museum, you will be able to visit the genealogy wall, which is a family tree of sorts of the SKRW. You can also learn about the fabric of the Salish Sea, from the sea floor to the sky. It’s all connected!
Practice Stewardship
- It is important to engage in stewardship and recognize how our behavior affects the SRKW. The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor does a great job of supporting conservation efforts and allowing visitors to engage in a stewardship mindset during their visit.
- The Whale Museum also shows the interconnectivity of ecosystems and how important each is to wildlife. For example, Friday Harbor’s Canadian neighbors to the north, that live more than 500 kilometers from Vancouver, British Columbia, live on rivers where Chinook and other salmon spawn and later feed the Southern residents.
Study Whales
- The Whale Museum studies the acoustics and the language of whales. There is a hydrophone 50 feet deep in the water by Lime Kiln Point State Park, and you can listen to the whales at a listening station by the lighthouse, on a closed WiFi network on your portable device, or via short-range FM radio from the parking lot. Researchers like Dr. Jason Wood listen to the normal ambient noise of the water to study any changes.
- The waters by the lighthouse are surprisingly noisy with the tides and currents constantly shifting and a deep cavern by the lighthouse that is about 1,000 feet deep. Add commercial shipping traffic and the Navy’s sonar testing, and the waters are very noisy.
- The Friday Harbor Whale Museum is currently studying the effects of this non-natural noise to see how it affects the whales.
Engage in Whale Watching
- Lime Kiln Point State Park is one of the best places in the world for shore-based whale watching. Here, you can observe orca whales playing in their living room.
- In addition to the resident orcas, be sure to look out for transient orcas, humpback, grey and minke whales in addition to the Pacific white-sided dolphin. The Whale Museum’s research station at Lime Kiln Point State Park is open from May through September 15.
- The Listening Station is accessible year-round. Between picnicking in the park, you can visit with a naturalist or researcher to learn more about whale behavior, listen to their conversation, and observe them in their natural habitat.
Visit the Kids Room
- The Kids Room at The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor features many interactive games that combine fun and learning. In the main exhibit hall, a payphone allows kids to listen to different marine animal sounds (Dial “1” for orcas!), and the soundboard can be used to identify different sounds while viewing them on the spectrogram.
- Kids will also enjoy the “Brain Case,” where they can compare the size of a human brain to that of a fin whale to see if brain size equates to intelligence.
- Kids can also dress up like an orca or salmon and measure their own height against the six-foot dorsal fin of a male orca.
A big thanks goes out to Jenny Atkinson, who was The Whale Museum’s executive director for 17.5 years and provided much of the information in this blog!
Book the Best Friday Harbor Lodging: Tucker House bed and Breakfast
After a day at The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, learning about the beautiful creatures that inhabit surrounding waters, head back to our Friday Harbor bed and breakfast to rest and relax. Our charming Inn offers the perfect backdrop to unwind in the evenings. Make a reservation at Coho Restaurant, our sister property just a block away, and serving a menu that also calls to sustainability, by supporting local farms and businesses on the island.
Wake up to a gourmet breakfast in the morning, delivered right to your door with French press coffee, orange juice, and our homemade granola with yogurt. It’s the best way to start your day, whether hiking and whale watching at Lime Kiln State Park or strolling the charming streets of downtown Friday Harbor. If you’re still unsure what to do during your stay, feel free to ask our knowledgeable and helpful Innkeepers on hand to make sure your visit to the San Juan Islands is the best it can be.
If you’re heading to San Juan Island with whale watching in mind, we have an exclusive package to add to your lodging with all the arrangements made for you. The “Adventure Vacation on San Juan Island” includes a trip on the Western Explorer II for whale watching, a San Juan Outfitters five-hour Orca Search by Kayak trip, and one picnic lunch per excursion. Valid with two-night stays or more. We can’t wait to be your hosts as you discover the beauty of the San Juan Islands. Book your room today!
