Leo Lambiel came to Orcas as a young man and bought an acre of beachfront land, mostly vertical just a mile and a half from town. It was what he could afford. Over the past forty plus years he has created what is a unique, often wonderfully outrageous experience for all who come to visit what Leo calls the Lambiel House Museum.

Whether you are looking for an underground grotto, for the fantasy of your inner child, huge outdoor sculpture, a wide array of island art by local artists dating from 1915 to the present, a replica of an ancient Greek Temple, an exceptional collection of rare and beautiful Asian rugs or what has become the worlds largest collection of the San Juan’s most celebrated artist, Helen Loggie, you will not be disappointed. If all of that is not enough, a 2500 square foot driveway depicts an under-water illustration of the sea life of the area in multi-colored concrete stains.

The setting for this home museum in the woods is beautiful and lovely to visit. Leo himself is as unique as his exceptional museum. This is a place not to be missed.

The museum is open daily by appointment and often a tour can be arranged the same day if you are only here for a short stay.

Mr. Lambiel himself leads the two-hour tour that is packed with art and information that seems to go by way too fast.

Most recently the Lambiel Museum has begun working with the Visual Art Museum of the San Juans (VAM) project and intends to raise the funds needed for the planning stage of VAM, toward the completion of an accredited facility that will one day house the Lambiel collection for the benefit of all of San Juan County. Included in the planning stage is the need for a completed Visitors Experience Plan, Business Plan, Architectural Rendering and Model and a Feasibility Study. The fundraising project will also include improvement of conservation practices and development of educational programming suitable for the Lambiel House Museum site for the benefit of the Orcas community.

Call the Lambiel Museum at 360 376 4544 to book a time for the tour. If you require a shorter time frame, let Leo know and he will be happy to accommodate your needs.

A $10 donation is appreciated for the tour as a part of the ongoing funding to keep this treasure of a museum growing.

The Lambiel Museum is looking for volunteers to get involved in many support and leadership roles. Please feel free to talk to Leo about such opportunities at the above phone number.