PNW Museum & Organization for Vehicle Experiences & Stewardship
Dedicated to Telling the Stories of Our Community Through the Vehicles Built, Used and Enjoyed in the PNW
Preserving Transportation History | Elevating Car Culture
PNW MOVES is a Bellingham, Washington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an ultimate goal of building a world class transportation museum and car culture center in Whatcom County.
Through educational programming, exciting events, and entertaining content content and experiences, we are raising funds that will result in a new local and tourist destination to our region.
The Driving Force \\\
Whatcom Car Museum
We’re building a space where transporation enthusiasts, artists, students, historians, and adventurers intersect. A modern campus, ideally on the shores of the Salish Sea, that is active, dynamic, and deeply Pacific Northwest in spirit. This is where exhibits roll, engines run, and the community gathers to share, learn, and create. Designed for locals, beloved by visitors from near and far, it will be a functional space that drives tourism.
TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM
The PNW is rich with transportation history; we strive to create a space that showcases it all. We forsee exhibits that illustrate how Coast Salish people used waterways, examine the impact of aero and marine industries, explore how railways transformed the region, and showcase the history of the automobile and examine how it is experienced in modern culture.
MEMBER VEHICLE STORAGE
Once built, sustaning members will have the opportunity to store and display their special interest vehicles on location. Designed for collectors and enthusiasts who want their vehicles stored with care and surrounded by admiration, this climate-controlled storage facility will include priority retrieval, invitations to special events, and access to an exclusive lounge within the museum.
COMMUNITY HUB & MAKERSPACE
Visit the community maker space to learn hands-on automotive restoration, creative trades and more. Open to artists, craftspeople, and aspiring builders, The Garage will host classes, and open-shop hours focused on welding, upholstery, fabrication, metalwork, and more. Part workshop, part cultural incubator,
The Garage connects our collection to the crafts and creativity that bring history to life. This makes the Museum a place not just to look, but to do.
PNW MOVES Pillars
Preserving History
Preserving meaningful vehicles through proper care, restoration, display and use will ensure future generations can understand how transportation has shaped our region and beyond.
How: Our future museum will showcase a wide variety of vehicles that have influenced culture, commerce and community. We’ll also host restoration classes, demonstrations and informational talks to educate anyone with an interest or curiosity in transportation history and preservation.
Building Community
We’re creating a space that encourages connection between transportation enthusiasts, historians and those who are simply curious. Come for the cars, stick around for the people.
How: PNW MOVES hosts events that bring people from near and far together over a shared passion. Our upcoming events and our future home will give people a place to gather, exchange ideas, share stories, and learn from and teach one another.
Elevating Car Culture
PNW MOVES is built by car enthusiasts and open to everyone who wants to experience car culture. Our future hub will be home to regular meets and a place to learn, show off, work on and celebrate the vehicles we love.
How: We’ll host meets, drives, hands-on workshops and other experiences that put car culture front and center. Our future hub will give people a place to gather, share knowledge, show what they’ve built, work on their vehicles and celebrate the creativity, craftsmanship and passion behind the hobby.
Community Rooted Events & Education
Car culture is alive and well in Bellingham, Whatcom County, and throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Vancouver, BC area. Home to numerous car clubs, collectors, and premium driving roads, PNWTCF intends to support our greater automotive community before we break ground on the museum by hosting car shows, guided drives, cruise ins, restoration education classes, guest speakers, and other specialty events that are safe, inclusive and fun for vehicle enthusiasts, drawing visitors from near and far.
Our future facility will also provide a rentable events space in Whatcom County for trade shows, festivals, private events and other public uses, ensuring sustainable revenue for the Museum.
