Auburn museum offers Boho exhibit featuring rock-star costumes
Published 12:59 pm Thursday, July 2, 2026
Costumes worn on stage by three legendary performers, Mama Cass, Janis Joplin and Stevie Nicks, are on display in the Boho exhibit at White River Valley Museum in Auburn through Nov. 1.
The Bohemian-style costumes are courtesy of a loan from the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, according to a June 30 press release from the White River Valley Museum. The exhibit opened July 1.
In addition to the costumes from the singers, Scorpio Rising Vintage, located on Sixth Avenue in Tacoma, have donated several articles of clothing from the late 1960s through the 1970s.
“The hippie culture of the late 1960s and 70s ushered in a mix of Bohemian style and medieval fashion nods – asserting individuality with rich colors, patterns, and fabrics,” according to the museum’s description of the exhibit. “American youth were reading Tolkien, wearing their grandmother’s silk scarves, and dipping their toes in metaphysical philosophies. They were emulating the new bastions of Boho culture, the mythical folk heroes known as rock stars.”
The kinds of clothing range from bell bottoms to Penny Lane coats to flowing dresses, according to the press release.
“We are so excited to bring these beautiful pieces to South King County,” said museum director Rachael McAlister.
McAlister shared the different perspective that White River Valley Museum is taking on this new exhibit.
“We love the music, the characters, and the culture, but were interested in telling a slightly different story,” she said. “We started thinking about the cuts, colors, and textures of the costumes and were inspired by the visual connections to the medieval period.”
In order to successfully execute this vision, the museum reached out to podcaster and radio producer Avery Trufelman to help with the medieval ties — the history and relevance of this trend. Trufelman is the host of the podcast Articles of Interest, which has been named one of the best podcasts of the year by the New Yorker, The New York Times and more, according to the press release.
“It’s such an honor to partner with the White River Valley Museum,” Trufelman said. “It’s extraordinary to work with an institution that is not only taking fashion seriously but actively promoting new ideas and complex stories. This show won’t just be fun, it will help visitors rethink their relationship to the past, and to their own wardrobes.”
Museum details
The museum is in the middle of Les Gove Park, 918 H St. SE. Guests can see the exhibit for free. It is open noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, with special hours on the first Thursday of the month from noon to 7 p.m. on Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and Oct. 1. The museum is owned by the City of Auburn, along with support from the White River Valley Historical Society.
