Admiralty Head Lighthouse opens in mid-April with new exhibits

OLYMPIA – The Admiralty Head Lighthouse at Fort Casey Historical State Park will open later than usual, in mid-April, with an exciting update to its exhibits.

The lighthouse is a popular attraction on Whidbey Island that attracts more than 50,000 visitors a year. It will reopen with museum-quality interpretive panels that promise improved readability and new ways to interact with the two Fresnel lenses on display.  

The previous exhibits were in place for nearly 15 years – and some longer. They told the broader story of Fort Casey State Park, while the new exhibits focus on the history of Pacific Northwest lighthouses.

A few steadfast Fort Casey partners helped make this happen, including Keepers of Admiralty Head Lighthouse, which, collectively with the lighthouse volunteer docents, contributed $50,000 to the project. The Lighthouse Environmental Program also gave tremendous support. The rest of the $160,000 budget came from the sale of State Parks specialty license plates.

Background

The Admiralty Head Lighthouse was constructed from 1901 to 1903. It was designed in Spanish mission style and is unique among Northwest lighthouses. The lighthouse stands as a remnant of early 20th century maritime safety and navigation tools that changed rapidly with the advancement of technology.