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Ye Olde Curiosity Shop

Store in Seattle, Washington, United States

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop is a store founded in 1899, on the Central Waterfront of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is currently located on Pier 54. Best known today as a souvenir shop and museum, it also has aspects of a dime museum, and is an important supplier of Northwest Coast art to museums.2 It was founded by J.E. Standley.1 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1899Founded1

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Ye Olde Curiosity Shop (64147) (cropped)
Photo: "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S. Pat. Off. Made Only by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons4

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop is a store founded in 1899, on the Central Waterfront of Seattle, Washington, United States. It is currently located on Pier 54. Best known today as a souvenir shop and museum, it also has aspects of a dime museum, and is an important supplier of Northwest Coast art to museums. As of 2008, the store has been owned by four generations of the same family.2

The story

Founded by J.E. Standley in 1899.1

Leadership

Who has led Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, and when. Pick a name to see everywhere that person has worked.

Products and brands

Ye Olde Curiosity Shop was founded in late 1899 as Standley's Free Museum and Curio on Second Avenue at Pike Street. It moved in November 1901 and at that time the store was called The Curio; it soon became Standley's Curio. In June 1904 Standley moved his store to the waterfront, renamed it after Charles Dickens's novel The Old Curiosity Shop, and adopted the motto "Beats the Dickens".

In 1963, as the Washington State Ferries system was taking over and completely reworking Colman Dock, the shop moved to a store on Pier 51 designed by Paul Thiry. In April 1988, it moved again, to Pier 54.

From Wikipedia’s article on Ye Olde Curiosity Shop, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.3

Timeline

  1. 1899Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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