In the Pacific Northwest of the United States lives the Southern Resident Community of Orcas, an endangered population, sometimes known as "killer whales". The Whale Museum, located in Friday Harbor, Washington, opened to the public in 1979 as the first museum in the country devoted to a species living in the wild. Today, the museum continues to promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research.

Funding from the Gordon and Patricia Gray Animal Welfare Foundation was used to procure additional exhibits for the educational centre in the Museum.