Yakima Cultural Heritage

Long before settlers entered the Yakima Valley, Native Americans thrived on the land which was rich in salmon, berries and nuts. The homesteaders who established the community of Yakima that we know today continued this tradition of living off the fertile land and making the desert bloom.

The culture of Yakima today is strongly anchored in agriculture. Many residents of the Valley are orchardists or farmers. Everyone, whether a grower or not, can enjoy and benefit from the Valley’s fresh produce.

Yakima has a large Hispanic population which offers valuable contributions to the culture of the Valley. The Yakama Indian Nation is also an invaluable facet of the Valley’s culture. Living in Yakima, it is easy to experience and learn from the diverse peoples, histories, and cultures that are so close by. Through the medium of agriculture, different people have come together and can share common goals and ways of life.

The Yakima Valley Museum and the Yakama Indian Cultural Heritage Center are two excellent places to go to learn more about the culture of the Yakima Valley.

The Yakima Valley – home to nine museums, each with unique collections – enjoys a rich cultural heritage, which is reflected in the abundant ways in which the arts are celebrated each year. From its Native American roots to its 40% Latino population, across its broadly varied towns and districts, Yakima offers insight into many diverse cultural histories even as it presents a unique life-experience all its own. Visit our Museum.

The Yakima Valley Museum includes more than 38,000 objects in the collections at the museum and over 40,000 documents and photographs in the archives and research library focusing on the natural history of the valley, Native American culture, early pioneer life and the roots and development of its fruit industry. The museum houses one of the largest collections of wagons, carriages and early motorized vehicles west of the Mississippi. The museum serves as the official repository for the personal belongings of Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, a controversial statesman, prolific writer, environmentalist and native of Yakima.