Archives & Collections

Explore Kitsap History Museum’s online collections and discover the people, places, and stories that have shaped Kitsap County. We’re continually adding materials and expanding public access to our collections, bringing our mission of “Connecting our community with each story” to life by making more of Kitsap’s history available for everyone to explore.

Harry Ward was a prolific professional photographer from Port Orchard, Washington, who captured decades of photographs that document everyday life and special events in the history of Kitsap County, Washington.

Harry lived from 1879 – 1976. Mr. Ward donated his photography collection to the Kitsap History Museum.

As part of our ongoing efforts, we will continue to expand public access to more of our photography collection over time.

Our collections include over 40,000 artifacts and textiles, more than 100,000 photographs and images and extensive archival documents and materials of Kitsap County.

The museum also maintains a large collection of farming, fishing and logging artifacts in the Rural Heritage Building located at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds in Bremerton.

Textiles. The Museum has the largest collection in the county.  Items include military uniforms, formal and casual clothing and quilts dating to the late 1800’s.

Artifacts. Furniture, tools, household items, clocks, machines, sports equipment, artwork, and handicrafts.

Photographs. Over 100,000 negatives, prints and slides including daguerrotypes and glass slides.  Significant holdings include the collections of Harry Ward, Walter Gowdy and Jack Bell.

Archival Materials. Documents include newspaper clippings, books, maps, scrapbooks, oral histories, records of service and community organizations, and obituaries.

Lost or Unclaimed Property

If you are looking for items or property that you believe may have been deposited with the Kitsap History Museum, please click link below.

Harmful Content

Kitsap History Museum’s collections reflect the people, experiences, and perspectives of different periods in our community’s history. Some materials contain language, images, or viewpoints that are offensive, discriminatory, or harmful. These may appear in original historical materials or in descriptions written in the past.

We make these materials available to support historical understanding and research. Their inclusion does not mean the Museum endorses the views they express. We recognize that how we describe and present history matters, and we are committed to improving our collection descriptions with greater accuracy, context, and respect.

If you encounter harmful content or have information that could help us improve a description, please contact [email protected]. Include a link to the item or its identification number and a brief explanation of your concern. We welcome your feedback and will review it thoughtfully.

Copyright and Takedown Policy

Kitsap History Museum shares its online collections to make Kitsap’s history accessible for learning, research, and discovery. We respect the rights of copyright holders and welcome information that helps us clarify the copyright status of materials in our collections.

If you believe that material in our online collections infringes your copyright, please contact [email protected] with:

• Your name and contact information.

• A link to the item and its title or identification number.

• An explanation of your copyright concern, including any supporting documentation.

• Confirmation that you are the copyright holder or are authorized to act on their behalf.

We will acknowledge your request and review the material. We may temporarily restrict public access while we assess the concern. Following our review, we will take appropriate action, which may include updating rights information or removing the material from public view, and notify you of the outcome.