The Smithsonian exhibit coming to Orcas in a few days is anything but dry history.

“‘Journey Stories’ is about when traveling was still a miracle,” said Orcas Historical Museum volunteer Andrea Cohen. “When you were lulled to sleep in a train or crowded into the car with your family for a road trip.”

The exhibit, which will be at the museum from July 17 through August 29, has seven modules (with audio and visual components) that take visitors from a time when families were first coming to America to the intersection of transportation with American culture.

“It starts with the earliest history of people coming here, and it takes you all the way to the present,” Cohen said. “It’s history told through the people who lived it.”

The Smithsonian sponsors a series of traveling exhibits for small museums around the country in an effort to reach those who cannot travel to Washington, D.C. Each museum is required to put together a local contribution, organize community events, and do publicity for the exhibit.

Volunteers with the Orcas Museum have created five panels on island legends: Ethan Allen, the superintendent of San Juan County in the early 1900s; John Grey, a sea captain who married an Indian maiden he found in a canoe bleeding to death from self-inflicted wounds after her family died; Bob Schoen, who ran the first commercial air service in the islands; May Shiozawa, an Orcas Islander, who, as a teen in California, was sent to an internment camp after the bombing in Pearl Harbor; and Judd Terrill, who journeyed across the country during a time when transportation was anything but easy.

Everyone who tours the exhibit will receive a souvenir passport and free entry in a drawing to be held at the end of August. The winner will receive two round-trip tickets between Eastsound and Boeing Field, courtesy of Kenmore Air. Passport holders can bring their passports to any of the “Journey Stories” related events (see the schedule below), where they will be stamped and put into the drawing again. The more stamps you get, the more times your name is entered into the drawing.

For the past few months the museum has been welcoming written journey stories from the community. Cohen, who is chair of the Journey Stories committee, says they have been receiving “wondrous things” that will be on display.

A writing station has also been set up for visitors to record their own personal stories. The high school digital media class created a video of eight Orcas Islanders talking about their life’s journeys that will be shown continuously during the exhibit’s run. Everything will be permanently archived at the museum.

Orcas Museum is the only hosting museum that doesn’t have a paid curator, so all of the work has been done by a group of volunteers. Cohen says they’ve been going all out, since this is the first time an exhibit like this has come to the island.

“We’re pulling together a really wonderful exhibit,” she said.

Nearly everything in the museum, including farm equipment and countless artifacts, has been pulled out to make room for the new displays. Cohen attended a workshop on how to assemble the Journey Stories pieces, and even helped out Moses Lake with its set-up. After the exhibit is done on Orcas, it heads over to Walla Walla.

Cohen says the Smithsonian’s traveling exhibits are a “gift to small museums.

“And the local component makes it so personal,” she said.

Special ‘Journey Stories’ kids tour

The Orcas Library is also partnering with the museum. Its summer children’s reading program is using materials provided by the Smithsonian, and kids will be treated to a special tour of the exhibit.

Kids going into third grade and above are invited to sign up for a tour of the Journey Stories exhibit at the Orcas Island Historical Museum on Wednesday, July 28 beginning at 10 a.m.

Museum staff and volunteers will explain the exhibits and answer children’s questions.

Advance sign-up at the library is required, and there is no charge for the tour. Meet at the Library at 9:45 a.m.

For more information about the tour, contact Nita Couchman, Children’s Librarian, at 376-4985.

“Journey Stories” events

Thursday, July 22: “The Journey of Paul Satko’s Ark, from Virginia to Juneau via the San Juans,” by Michael Sullivan, Washington State Historian for “Journey Stories,” 7 p.m., Orcas Senior Center.

Friday, July 30: “Musical Journey Stories as told by Woody Guthrie,” with Carl Allen of The Wanderers, 7:30 p.m., Orcas Senior Center.

Aug. 2 to 30: “The Art of the Journey” exhibit at the senior center, featuring art, photography, and poetry. Open to all islanders – register by 7/26 at 376-4849.

Saturday, Aug. 7: “Journeys that shaped our lives,” by Eth-noh-tec, 3 to 5 p.m., Orcas Senior Center. Opening reception for “Art of the Journey” to follow.

Friday, Aug.13: “Ancient Peoples’ San Juan Journeys,” with Amanda Taylor and Stephanie Jolivette, 7:30 p.m., Orcas Senior Center.

Sunday, Aug. 15: “Four Winds Westward Ho – Children’s Journeys to Orcas since 1927,” presentation and exhibit, 2 p.m., Odd Fellows Hall.

Saturday, Aug. 21: “Capt. Wilkes’ San Juan Voyage of 1841,” by local historian Tom Welch, 7:30 p.m., Orcas Grange.

Friday, Aug. 27: Ken Burns film of the first automobile trip across the U.S., 6:30 p.m., West Sound Community Club.