“Hidden Treasures in Washington’s Museums,” presented by Harriet Baskas, is Thursday, Oct. 4, from 4-5:30 p.m. at the library.

The talk is a fast-paced, photo-filled and, at times, somewhat offbeat tour of Washington history through the stories of museum artifacts that are rarely – or never – shown to the public. Examples include Bing Crosby’s toupees in Spokane, a quilt made of Ku Klux Klan robes in Yakima, and Native American spirit boards in Tacoma. The lecture will explore how those objects came to be in local collections and who makes decisions about what is displayed or kept from view.

Baskas is a journalist who writes about airports, museums and other topics for msnbc.com, USATODAY.com, AAA Journey and other outlets. She also maintains two blogs: StuckatTheAirport.com and MuseumMysteries.com. She produced a major radio series on hidden museum artifacts that aired on National Public Radio, with Smithsonian-based historians as her advisers.

Baskas has a master’s degree in communication from the University of Washington and served as general manager for three community radio stations in Oregon and Washington. She is the author of a half-dozen books, including “Washington Curiosities,” “Washington Icons” and “Oregon Curiosities,” and is finishing a book about hidden treasures in museums.

She lives in Seattle.