The Southwest Seattle Historical Society launched its online auction today, and you don’t have to have a ticket for Friday’s gala to bid in this! Though the in-person auction will have some unique items/experiences, you’ll find cool stuff up for online bidding right now – here’s the announcement:

Bid to support local history! The Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s online auction is open now through Thursday, April 10.

The annual online auction is one of the biggest fundraisers of the year and brings in critical revenue for the historical society and museum to provide free museum admission and free public programming year round.

This year’s auction features vacations and staycations (once again you can bid on a three-day stay at the Lodge at Erik’s Ranch and Retreats outside Yellowstone National Park in Paradise Valley, a nonprofit vacation rental that provides employment opportunities for adults with autism living in rural areas, gift cards to local services and businesses, local art, and one-of-a-kind West Seattle experiences including coffee with local historians, guided tours of Schmitz Preserve Park, season tickets to WS Football Clubs, dinner for two at Il Nido, and much, much more.

This year’s live auction, held during Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala, includes priceless experiences. Select items only available in person include creating your own Husky Deli Ice Cream flavor; a private guided tour of the West Duwamish Greenbelt with Ken Workman, descendant of Chief Sealth; a private music tour of West Seattle music history (in a classic car); a private speakeasy/karaoke/pizza party; and a private wine tasting for six at photographer and conservationist Art Wolfe’s private garden.

The Southwest Seattle Historical Society owns and operates the Log House Museum at Alki Beach, cares for a unique collection of artifacts, provides free museum admission and public programming (like Alki History Walking Tours and Words, Writers, Southwest Stories), and relies on grants and contributions to keep its doors open. This year, the historical society is raising funds for its multi-year interpretive planning initiative supported by Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, which will result in a permanent, interactive exhibition that will transform how people experience the Log House Museum.

Organizations like the historical society are also reliant on support from partners like Humanities Washington, and others, who are experiencing direct cuts in federal funding and uncertain futures. Humanities Washington supports the historical society’s long running speaker series and allows the organization to bring in speakers on diverse topics, including last month’s talk on Black Women Civil Rights Workers in Washington State.

Southwest Seattle Historical Society’s annual Spring Gala will be held at Salty’s on Alki next Friday, April 11 from 6-8:30 pm. The event will also feature music from local band The Potholes, delicious food from Salty’s, and dessert from Bakery Nouveau.

Special guests include exhibit designer and contractor Chris Fiala Erlich, partners at Seattle Housing Authority whose youth Video Club is helping the historical society capture oral histories of High Point, and a high school intern who is researching Seattle Teriyaki for an upcoming pop-up exhibit at the museum.

The online auction closes at 8 pm on Thursday, April 10. Information and registration for both events is at loghousemuseum.org

WSB is media sponsor for this year’s auction.