My name is Sam Hassan and I’m a chef/owner of 2 restaurants and a distillery in WA state, with strong background on teaching (17 years teaching in Brazil), arts & music, and as a chef/restauranteur

The idea for the Salmon Museum came from a visit to the Museu do Bacalhau, in Lisbon, one of the most incredible museums I have ever seen.

Living in the Pacific NW I realized that salmon is as important to the region as bacalhau is for Portugal. Salmon is in the lives of so many, it’s sacred for the tribes of the region, from Alaska all the way to California. And it’s a strong part of the economy. Furthermore, the health of the Salmon equates to the health of environment.

I made the PNW my home 26 years ago. Helping preserve the Salmon helps maintaining with made me fall in love with region. And the more a learn about Salmon the more a get fascinated by this amazing creature, which after years at sea, manages to find their way back to stream where they came from.

The Salmon Experience is an IRS registered and approved 501c3 non-profit.

The experience includes an Interpretative Salmon Exhibition, the museum itself, with state of the interactive experiences. The Museum is roughly half Native, half non Native, and includes:

– Art Gallery (with tree sectors: Paintings & Illustrations, Sculptures and Photography

– Performance Center for dance, music and theater.

– A fine dinning but casual restaurant, a bistro and an European style coffee shop. The restaurants will lean heavily in local and pre-Columbian ingredients

– Aquaponic center to generate ingredients for the restaurants.

– Boutique Hotel to generate funds to sustain the project

Environmentally friendly buildings and edible gardens.

A gift shop.

But the most important aspect of the center is the educational aspect of it. We’ll offer training up to job placement or college graduation in all aspects of the museum to under-served and native children.

We have an offer being analyzed for a location that we can’t disclose during negotiations but it’s a perfect location for us.

Your contribution will help us secure the the land and get the project of the ground. The whole project is designed to be built in stages, with several temporary installations. Which will allow us to get action in a record time.

Your Contribution

Your contribution will allow us to secure the land, to start food trucks for the Bistro and the coffee shop. To start temporary exhibitions and start training the children. We can also start performances and art exhibitions.

The Salmon Experience.

Can easily be the main attraction for Tourists in Bellingham and the county.

 The Team

Our Main Board and Advisory Board include people with profound knowledge on the ways of the salmon, a powerful, humble and a respected contractor to help put everything together.

Other Ways You Can Help.

You can also contribute by volunteering with the project, and/or by donation salmon related memorabilia.