Do you have an artifact, antique, or otherwise unusual object you’d like to learn more about? Maybe Grandpa left you some mysterious item from days past, or you found something old and scary abandoned in the corner of your basement?

If so, Mohai has you covered this Saturday. With a paid admission you can bring up to 2 artifacts,  and museum staff and historians will help you figure out what you have. You won’t get an appraisal, and you can’t bring in guns or large pieces of furniture, but aside from that it’s a great opportunity to find out if you have a piece of history, or a piece of junk.

One of the most notable patrons and philanthropists of the Queen Anne and greater Seattle arts community, Bagley Wright, died at the age of 87 after suffering a heart attack on Monday night, according to a report by The Seattle Times.

Bagley and Virginia Wright at a “Capote” party in Seattle, 1966. Photo credit: Photo by Dave Potts, Courtesy of the SeattlePI Collection, MOHAI.

Wright moved to Seattle in 1956 with his wife Virginia Bloedel, whose family owned a successful Northwest timber business, and quickly got to work developing what have since become some of the city’s greatest artistic institutions. At the time Seattle’s arts scene was regarded as ‘cultural backwater,’ the Times writes, and Wright took it upon himself to change that. “He understood that a great city had to have great cultural institutions,” his son Charlie Wright told the Times.

And change it he did. The influential philanthropist and developer founded the Seattle Repertory Theatre here in Queen Anne, helped transform the Seattle Art Museum (where his son Charlie now sits as chairman of the board) from a boutique gallery in Volunteer Park to a downtown destination, and had a hand in building the Space Needle, undoubtedly the city’s most iconic landmark. The Wrights were also the first major investors in Benaroya Hall.

“He really planted the first seeds of a vibrant cultural life in Seattle that we all take for granted now,” local arts consultant Susan Trapnell told the Times. “He’s really been an essential donor and supporter of almost every major arts organization in the city.”

From the Times:

In addition to his wife, Mr. Wright is survived by his brother, Dan Wright, of Greenwich, Conn.; sons Charlie Wright, of Seattle and Bing Wright, of New York City; daughters Merrill Wright, of Seattle, and Robin Wright, of San Francisco; as well as 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“We have a great family, thanks to him, and it’s a great comfort. We did have a good time together. Nobody was better company than Bagley. I’ll miss him no end,” Mrs. Wright told the Times.

A memorial service for Wright will be held on Tuesday, July 26 at 3 p.m. at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Capitol Hill. In lieu of flowers, the family has suggested contributions be made to the Seattle Art Museum, Seattle Repertory Theatre or the Bloedel Reserve in Wright’s memory.

Read the full story in The Seattle Times.

The Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI) hosts a series of summer history tours, including a tour focusing on Aurora Avenue North. “Aurora: Life on Seattle’s Mother Road” is from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, July 23. The tour will be led by local historian Roger van Oosten.

Thousands of drivers use Aurora Avenue every day, yet few understand how a city street can be as controversial as this one. Aurora plays host to a broad and colorful spectrum of Seattle characters, often receiving public criticism as a result. Historian Roger van Oosten will give an informative, witty, and fun tour of the heart of Aurora, offering insight into why this historic Mother Road is vital to Seattle’s past, present and future. A light lunch will be served in Licton Springs Park following the tour, weather permitting. Meet at the corner of N 90th St. and Stone Ave. N.

Purchase tickets for the tour at Brown Paper Tickets, or by calling 1-800-838-3006.

You know that bridge above from the way it is on the left. There was a time not too long ago, however, when it looked a lot more like the image on the right. If you’re a regular reader of Seattle Times Sunday magazine, you’re used to seeing Paul Dorpat’s popular ‘Now And Then’ column, featuring the contrasting images of old and new Seattle like this one.

This past weekend, the Museum of History and Industry unveiled a “Now and Then” exhibit, styled after Dorpat’s column. The exhibit include the work of Jean Sherrard and Berangere Lomont and features photos of four locales: Seattle, Washington State, the Wallingford neighborhood and Paris.

The exhibit runs through June 3, 2012. Now and Then tours at the University of Washington are scheduled for April 17, May 15 and May 18. Check the MOHAI calendar for more information.

H/T: SeattlePI.com