Construction nears for new visitor’s center on Bainbridge Island

The long-awaited visitor’s center at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial in Washington state may be nearing.

The Kitsap Sun reports site work for the building could begin in late summer or fall with construction completed by mid-2026.

That’s assuming the extension of a water main is completed this summer and the necessary building permits are approved by the city.

“This endeavor marks the final phase in the more than two-decade-long journey of grassroots community support, dedicated to honoring the history of the Japanese Americans of Bainbridge Island. The memorial serves as a testament to their sacrifice and resilience,” Ellen Sato Faust, executive director of the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association, said to the Bainbridge Review.

At last report, $4.177 million had been raised of the $4.5 million needed through donations, foundations and grants.

The Memorial is run by the National Park Service and tells the story of the first Japanese Americans in the country to be forcibly removed from their homes and sent to permanent incarceration camps.

“It’s a story that needs to be told, especially now when you see this concerted attempt to fracture families and to export our immigrants,” Faust said to the Kitsap Sun.

Each year about 20,000 people visit the memorial with about half being school groups. The 1,500 square-foot center would be a place for exhibitions and give visitors an opportunity to reflect on what they learned.