Privacy Policy

Introduction

The Mason County Historical Society ("MCHS," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit our website, make a donation, become a member, or otherwise interact with us online or in person.

Please read this policy carefully. By using our website, you agree to the practices described here.

Information We Collect

Information you provide to us directly, such as when you:

• Create a membership account or renew your membership
• Make a donation or purchase items from our gift shop or online store
• Register for an event, tour, or educational program
• Submit a research inquiry or genealogy request
• Sign up for our newsletter or email updates
• Contact us by email, phone, or through our website's contact form
• Submit photographs, documents, or other materials to our collections

This information may include your name, mailing address, email address, phone number, payment information, and any correspondence you share with us.

Information collected automatically when you visit our website, including your IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, and similar technical data. This is collected through cookies and standard web server logs.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Process memberships, donations, and event registrations
• Send receipts, tax acknowledgment letters, and confirmations
• Communicate with you about MCHS news, events, exhibits, and programs
• Respond to research inquiries and requests
• Improve our website and better understand how visitors use it
• Comply with legal obligations, including nonprofit reporting requirements
• Maintain our member and donor records in accordance with best practices for historical organizations

We will not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We do not use your information for automated profiling or decision-making.

Donations and Payment Information

Donations and purchases made through our website are processed by a third-party payment processor. We do not store your full credit card or banking information on our servers. Please review the privacy policy of our payment processor for details on how your financial data is handled.

Donor records are kept confidential. We may recognize donors publicly (for example, in our newsletter or annual report) unless you request to remain anonymous.

Email Communications

If you sign up for our newsletter or email list, you may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email or by contacting us directly. We will honor opt-out requests promptly.

We do not send unsolicited commercial email.

Cookies

Our website uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience and help us understand how visitors use the site. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, though some features of the site may not function properly as a result.

We do not use cookies to track you across third-party websites.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites, social media platforms, or partner organizations. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their policies independently.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

Data Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and maintain accurate historical and financial records as required of nonprofit organizations.

Your Rights and Choices

You may contact us at any time to:

• Review or correct the personal information we hold about you
• Request that we delete your information, subject to our legal and record-keeping obligations
• Opt out of marketing communications
• Ask questions about how your data is used

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.