CONTRIBUTE TO CURIOSITY

Create a Brighter Future with MVC:

Double the Impact Today!

Do you remember the thrill of your first museum visit? At the Museum of Ventura County (MVC), we strive to gift this unforgettable experience to every child in our community – particularly those from low to moderate income families.

Your generous support enables us to offer FREE school tours immersing children in the rich history and culture of Ventura County. Plus, your contribution also aids first-generation college interns, offering them valuable work experience while earning a fair wage. Donate today and help us inspire curiosity, connection, and compassion in Ventura County’s future generations.

P.S. Act before December 10, and an anonymous donor will match your donation 100%! Double your impact by clicking HERE today!

MVC NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Sip ‘n Shop: Members-Only

Wednesday, December 6

4:00 pm – 6:00 pm

The Boutique @ MVC

100 E. Main St., Ventura

Come support the Museum and shop our collection of unique gifts, jewelry, glassware, and much more; all while sipping champagne and enjoying some holiday inspired music. You will also have the opportunity to give the gift of Museum membership with all new member benefits in 2024! Members enjoy 10% off all inventory. Click HERE for more information.

Sip ‘n Shop: Everyone

Welcome to Attend

Saturday, December 9

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

The Boutique @ MVC

100 E. Main St., Ventura

Come support the Museum and shop our collection of unique gifts, jewelry, glassware, and much more; all while sipping champagne and enjoying some holiday inspired music. You will also have the opportunity to give the gift of Museum membership with all new member benefits in 2024! Click HERE for more information.

Home for the Holidays

Saturday, December 9

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E. Main St., Ventura

Celebrate the holidays in style at the Museum of Ventura County, where we’ve put together a festive experience just for you! Enjoy the sounds of your favorite songs, sung by the talented Jade Hendrix as you check off your holiday shopping list, and don’t forget to capture those heartwarming holiday photos next to our magnificent tree. While you shop, peruse the galleries, and create cherished memories; be sure to explore our latest exhibition, ‘Winter,’ featuring the captivating George Stuart Historical Figures®. So come on over and be a part of the holiday spirit at the Museum of Ventura County! Click HERE for more information.

George Stuart Historical Figures® Exhibit, “Winter”

Now Open

@Museum of Ventura County

Welcome to “Winter,” our current exhibition of the George Stuart Historical Figures®. Delving into the enchanting world of winter, the exhibition explores the myriad ways in which people have sought to make the most of this season. Winter is the time of year when the days are shortest, and the nights are long and cold, affecting both our bodies and our moods. In response to the challenges of winter, people across the globe have crafted annual traditions to create their own warmth and find connection.

Join us on a global journey through the art of George Stuart Historical Figures® as we uncover the diverse winter symbolism, customs, and celebrations that connect people to nature and, more importantly, to each other. Winter, with all its challenges, remains a season of warmth, unity, and wonder across the world. For more information, click HERE.

Strategic Planning Survey

Your Input is Requested

The Museum of Ventura County is engaged in strategic planning and is looking for community input to help ensure we are meeting the community’s needs. A short (2-minute) survey has been created that I’m hoping you’ll complete. There are no right or wrong answers — we are hoping to get county-wide feedback on what types of experiences our community is looking for and/or already takes part in. Plus, a fun prize for one winner is in the mix. Those who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing for a 4-pack of Disney tickets! Thanks very much for taking a few minutes to provide your feedback! Take the survey HERE.

150th CELEBRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Feast or Flop

Watch Episodes #1-4

“Feast or Flop” is an engaging online cooking show that combines the culinary world with the treasures of the Museum of Ventura County’s archives. Each episode takes viewers on a journey through our local history as the Museum’s Collections Manager Renee Tallent uncovers recipes that have been tucked away for years.

Episode 5 will air soon, but in the meantime, check out the first 4 episodes HERE.

November Digital Puzzles

Featuring Thousand Oaks!

Take a moment or two to relax with an online jigsaw puzzle which have been created using photographs from the Museum’s digital collection. The monthly puzzles may remind you of areas in our County where you have happy memories, or inspire you to visit a yet discovered place. Browse the puzzles HERE.

Exhibits

AGRICULTURE MUSEUM

Ventura County: The Place

We Call Home

The Museum of Ventura County (MVC) celebrates the County’s 150th anniversary with Ventura County, The Place We Call Home – A Community Experience that highlights the diversity of our communities by featuring different interpretations of Ventura County as ‘Home.’ Some people perceive home as a physical place where they grew up. For others, family and those they share their lives with are what make them ‘feel at home.’ The taste of food, beloved objects, and fond memories are other ways that people define what home means to them.

The exhibition utilizes both historical and contemporary photographs to compare and contrast, over time, the lives of the people connected to Ventura County and their relationship to nature, the land, and each other. Read more HERE.

Co-presented by the County of Ventura and Ventura County Community Foundation.

 This exhibit made possible by California Humanities, the City of Santa Paula,

the City of Simi Valley, Harrison Industries, Limoneira, Meissner,

the Port of Hueneme, TOLD Corporation, Ventura County Credit Union,

Ventura County Community College District, and many more.

Exhibits From the

Smithsonian Gardens:

Pollination Investigation –

The Essential Role of Pollinators in the Natural World

Nearly 90% of flowering plants rely on approximately 200,000 species of pollinators for fertilization. Explore the essential role pollinators play in the natural world in the Smithsonian poster exhibition, Pollination Investigation.

Through “pollinator profiles” visitors can learn about different pollinators—from butterflies and hummingbirds to bats and the wind—and their favorite flowers based on floral characteristics like flower shape, color, scent, and more. The set of 14 posters is bilingual (Spanish and English) and designed to educate and inspire people to explore the natural world looking at flowers and insects. Learn more HERE.

The Farm to Market Children’s Hands-On Exhibit

An interactive exhibit promoting healthy lifestyles through role-play, the Ag Market is an immersive environment where children and families identify healthy food choices in a fun, market-like atmosphere.

Learn more about what the Agriculture Museum has to offer HERE.

Special thanks to Santa Paula’s former mayor, Carlos Juarez for volunteering his time in

building our fun-filled market.

Exhibits

MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY

Spin Cycle: Unfolding the

Science of Laundry

Everybody’s clothes get dirty, so we all must deal with the dreaded laundry. Through the years people have tried different ways to clean their clothes, and now we have the science to explain why some of those methods actually work!

Using 19th and early 20th century laundry items from MVC’s historical collection, visitors will learn about the “how” and “who” behind everyone’s least favorite chore. Let’s explore how our everyday world works together.

This exhibit is made possible by the

Ventura County Credit Union

Proximity to Water: Works from MVC’s Permanent Collection

Come be inspired by the ever-changing coast captured by our regional artists.

From plein air painting to photography, the mutable coast provides an endless supply of inspiration. Art helps us admire, respect, and revere our region, reminding us of our own place in the natural world. Proximity means a closeness in space, time, or relationship. These artworks from the Museum’s permanent collection bring us closer to the water, both visually and in feeling.

This exhibit is made possible by the Esther and Thomas Wachtell Family Fund, the Paul and Anne Leavens Family Fund and the Bonita C. McFarland Fund

The Murder of Tom More:

A True Crime Story

In the early hours of March 24th 1877, a mob of angry settlers set fire to Thomas More’s barn and shot him at least 10 times. Motivated by a passionate battle over land ownership and water rights turned deadly, news of his murder rippled through California.

Amid the rubble of lies, perjuries, briberies, and omissions in the historical record, there are mysteries regarding his death that remain forever unsolved. His story stands today as a warning about the strong emotions unleashed over our limited natural resources.

This exhibit is made possible by

the John Hammer Family

Explore More Exclusive

MVC ONLINE CONTENT

MVC RECOMMENDS

75th Anniversary of Pt. Hueneme Mural

Calling All Artists!

Calling artists in Ventura, Santa Barbara, and Los Angeles Counties!  The City of Port Hueneme, in collaboration with Ventura County Library and OPAC, invites submissions for the Ray D. Prueter Library Mural Project. In celebration of the City’s 75th anniversary, this mural is made possible through the City of Port Hueneme and Port of Hueneme Community Benefit Fund.  Apply by December 31, 2023 to be considered for this permanent, large-scale outdoor mural! More information HERE!

A Special Thanks to Our

150th Anniversary Sponsors!