Title: Steelhead Trout Fishing Ventura River, Group Photo, March 1919

Identifier: 9717 OS from the MVC Research Library Digitized Photographs

March Highlights

FREE ADMISSION!

Thanks to the generous support of Ventura County Credit Union, admission to the Museum of Ventura County is FREE in March. This support allows more visitors to explore Ventura County’s history, art, and cultural heritage.

MVC Exclusive

NEW ONLINE CONTENT

MVC THEN

The Race to Light Ventura

by Library Docent Volunteer Andy Ludlum

It was 3 a.m. on July 5, 1890. On Ventura’s dark Main Street, a team of laborers moved quietly but quickly along the dirt roadway, guided only by the flickering glow of handheld lanterns.

DIGITAL PUZZLES

Choose your puzzle, select the number of pieces, and start the challenge! You can also share a link and invite friends to solve it with you.

This month’s theme celebrates our new exhibition: Pages to Posters: The Visual Worlds of Simms Taback.

You’re Invited

FREE WEEKEND EVENTS

Zine Lab for Kids with Ox.Zine

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E Main Street, Ventura

Saturday, March 21

2:00 – 5:00 PM

Inspired by Pages to Posters: The Visual Worlds of Simms Taback, this creative workshop invites children to explore self-expression through art. With guidance from Jenny Martinez, creator of Ox.Zine, participants will experiment with collage and zine-making. Zines are small, handmade booklets that combine images and text to express ideas and stories.

This free event invites families to create, explore, and have fun with art! Get event details HERE.

Ventura County Farm Day

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave, Santa Paula

Saturday, April 11

10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

It’s Farm Day 2026! In an effort to reach and educate more community members about local agriculture, SEEAG (Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture) launched Ventura County Farm Day in 2013.

This year, experience more than 15 Ventura County farms, ranches, and agricultural organizations that will open their doors to welcome visitors for Ventura County Farm Day.

The Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula will have free guided tours by UC Master Gardeners, hands-on activities, and a Wildflower & Weed Show, hosted by the County of Ventura Agriculture/Weights & Measures. Get event details HERE.

Chumash Place Names

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave, Santa Paula

Sunday, April 12

2:00 – 4:00 PM

Join us for a special presentation with Julie Tumamait-Stenslie as she shares the original Chumash Place Names of Ventura County. Guests will learn how these lands were known prior to the documented violence and cultural suppression that occurred during Spanish colonization, while also recognizing the resilience and continuity of Chumash communities today. The program invites reflection, conversation, and a deeper understanding of the region’s Indigenous history and living culture.

This free event is in partnership with the Port of Hueneme. Get event details HERE.

2026 MVC

VISUAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIPS

Apply Now!

The Museum of Ventura County is awarding $20,000 in scholarships to support emerging visual artists residing in Ventura County, made possible through the generosity of the Gail Faulkner Memorial Arts Scholarship and the Bonita C. McFarland Scholarship for the Visual Arts.

High school seniors entering college in Fall 2026 and current college students studying visual arts are encouraged to apply.

What You’ll Need:

• Online application
• Short essay
• Portfolio of 10 work samples
• Letter of recommendation

Applications are due by April 1, 2026. Apply HERE.

Venue Rentals

WE KNOW THE ART OF ENTERTAINING

In downtown Ventura, the Museum of Ventura County offers a refined and timeless setting where history and heartfelt moments come together. In Santa Paula, the Agriculture Museum pairs beautiful gardens with inviting indoor spaces to create an unforgettable backdrop. Each distinctive venue offers an exceptional setting for weddings, milestone celebrations, meetings, and community events.

Current Exhibitions

MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY

Pages to Posters: The Visual Worlds of Simms Taback

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E Main Street, Ventura

Best known for his Caldecott Medal-winning book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and the Caldecott honoree There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly, Simms Taback’s creative legacy extends far beyond the pages of children’s literature. He was an artist, graphic designer, and teacher who helped shape American visual culture.

Pages to Posters invites visitors to step inside the visual worlds of Simms Taback, exploring original posters, illustrations, and designs. Get more information HERE.

This exhibition is made possible by the Thomas and Esther Wachtell Family Endowment Fund, Bill and Elise Kearney, Amgen Foundation, and Reel Guppy Outdoors.

The Changing Faces of Abraham Lincoln, A George Stuart Historical Figures® Exhibition

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E Main Street, Ventura

The Changing Faces of Abraham Lincoln follows Lincoln’s story of triumph and tragedy, from his simple beginnings in Illinois to his time as President and his significant role in American history. This exhibition displays the iterations of Lincoln while looking at his life, career, and change in physical appearance through the highly detailed, sculpted lens of the George Stuart Historical Figures®. Get more information HERE.

Picturing the Past: How Photography Tells Our Stories

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E Main Street, Ventura

This engaging exhibition explores the power of photography to record our history. Through images, artifacts, and interactive displays, visitors will discover how historians use photographs to uncover hidden narratives, challenge assumptions, and bring history to life. Join us in exploring the early history of photography in Ventura County, how photos shape our understanding of the past, and how the photos we take today tell tomorrow’s story. Get more information HERE.

This exhibition is made possible by the John and Glenda Hammer Family, the Heritage Fund at VCCF, Hofer Properties, HP Media, Ventura Auto Center, FTI Services, and California Resources Corporation.

Current Exhibition

AGRICULTURE MUSEUM

Enfoque: Voces Indígenas Mexicanas del Condado de Ventura

In Focus: Mexican Indigenous Voices of Ventura County

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave, Santa Paula

Join us at the Agriculture Museum for this exhibition showcasing over 40 photographic portraits by internationally acclaimed photographer Diego Huerta. These portraits highlight the vibrant and resilient Mexican Indigenous communities of Ventura County. Get more informationHERE.

Únase a nosotros en el Museo de la Agricultura para esta esperada exposición que muestra más de 40 retratos fotográficos del fotógrafo de fama internacional Diego Huerta. Estos retratos destacan las vibrantes y resistentes comunidades indígenas mexicanas del condado de Ventura. Más información AQUÍ.

This exhibition is made possible with the support of/Esta exposición es posible gracias al apoyo de: Hofer Properties, Ventura Auto Center, the Busch Family Foundation, Oxnard Performing Arts Center, Gabriella Navarro-Busch and Peter Busch, and Vida Newspaper.

Museum of Ventura County • 100 East Main St. Ventura, CA 93001 • 805.653.0323

Agriculture Museum • 926 Railroad Ave. Santa Paula, CA 93060 • 805.525.3100