JOIN US THURSDAY!

Exhibit Spotlight: Ventura County Land Use Panel Discussion

Thursday, August 24

6:00 pm – 7:30 pm

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E. Main St., Ventura

In connection to the contentious issues highlighted in our new exhibit, The Murder of Tom More: A True Crime Story, MVC will host a panel discussion on past and current land use in Ventura County. Moderated by Maureen McGuire, CEO of the Farm Bureau of Ventura County, representatives from agriculture, economic development, land conservation, and the Chumash will discuss the past, present, and future of Ventura County’s land. Register for free HERE.

150th CELEBRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS

Be Part of our New Exhibit!

Thursday, August 24

3:00 pm – 9:00 pm

@Agricuture Museum

926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula

Tuesday, August 29

3:00 pm – 9:00 pm

@Oxnard Performing Arts Center

800 Hobson Way, Oxnard

Calling All Storytellers! Be a Star in Our New Exhibit. We are looking for volunteers to take part in a video shoot as we explore the deep and diverse meanings of “home.” Your voice matters, and we want YOU to share your unique perspective on what home means to you. Each story is a vital thread in the rich tapestry of our community. Sign up HERE.

Mountains to Sea Jubilee

and Music Festival

Saturday, October 21

11:00 am – 8:30 pm

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula

Celebrate Ventura County’s 150th Anniversary at the Mountains to Sea Jubilee, an all day family event culminating in a music festival! The Family Fair at the Agriculture Museum is from 11 am – 3 pm and features food trucks, kids’ zone, community stages, pumpkin patch, petting zoo, historical walking tours, arts and crafts booths, sheriff, search and rescue dogs, historical enactors, and Exhibit opening: Ventura County, The Place We Call Home

The Music Festival is from 2:30 pm – 8:30 pm and features Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Mariachi Camarillo, Rey Fresco, Whiskey Business, and Charles Law Band. The Music Festival is limited capacity, $20 per ticket. Don’t miss the local food trucks, beer & wine garden, and artisanal vendors at this all day event!

Gates open at noon, please bring blankets or low chairs for festival-style seating on the lawn.

No outside food or drink – Attendees may bring a refillable water bottle – Water station available – No pets* Purchase your Music Festival tickets HERE.

*Service animals welcome

Voices of Ventura County

A remarkable collection of oral histories that commemorates Ventura County’s history over the past 150 years. Curated from the extensive archives from the Museum of Ventura County’s Research Library, these oral histories bring to life the diverse stories and experiences of the County’s inhabitants.

Thanks to a partnership with CAPS Media, KPPQ-LP and the County of Ventura, this invaluable selection of oral histories has been expertly digitized—for preservation and accessibility for generations to come. Listen HERE.

Content Warning: The following oral history contains outdated language and may include terms that are considered offensive by today’s standards. Listener discretion is advised.

Your Photos Could be in MVC’s Upcoming 150th Exhibit!

The upcoming exhibit: Ventura County, The Place We Call Home will open October 21 at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. The exhibit will be a multimedia experience and we invite you to be part of its creation.

What you can do: choose a few photos that depict what home means to you and submit them to VC150 Memories using THIS FORM.

*not all photos will be used in the upcoming exhibition

August 150th Digital Puzzles

Get to know Camarillo

The August Digital Jigsaw Puzzles is an online program that offers a delightful way to explore and appreciate different cities. Each month, users can enjoy solving jigsaw puzzles featuring captivating images from a new city within the County. August features historical photos from Camarillo. Solve a puzzle HERE!

Save the Dates!

October 21, 2023 – The History of Ventura County 150th Anniversary Exhibit Opening at the Agriculture Museum

October 21, 2023 – Mountains to Sea Jubilee – Family Fair and Music Festival at the Agriculture Museum

November 2, 2023 – 150th State of the County at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Online Games & Interactives Introduced Monthly

Pop-Up Festivals: Sept. 16 at Strathearn Historical Park • Sept. 30 at Port Hueneme Banana Festival • Nov. 11 at Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center

There is much more to be planned – stay tuned!

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Playdate in the Children’s Garden

Thursday, August 31

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

@Museum of Ventura County

100 E. Main St., Ventura

Join the Ventura Fish and Wildlife Office for an afternoon learning about pollinators and the life cycle of a monarch butterfly! We will learn about different native plants and how they benefit pollinators, and take home some native seeds to plant at home to help pollinators thrive! Elementary school children of all ages welcome. Free admission, no registration needed. Parental supervision is required.

MVC NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Introducing: MVC School Squad

The Museum of Ventura County values education in all aspects of life and works throughout the entire year to support, promote and foster educational growth in our community through school tours, paid internships, college scholarship awards and more.

With back-to-school happening this month, the MVC team would like introduce “School Squad,” which will highlight educational initiatives and celebrations as well as invite you to participate. Stay on the lookout for what the Squad is up to all year long!

Have an Older Working TV?

Donate it to MVC

The Museum is in need of TWENTY-FIVE TELEVISIONS for our upcoming exhibit titled, Ventura County, The Place We Call Home.

If, by any chance, you are teetering on the precipice of a new television purchase, consider donating your old one with us. TV’s must have fully functioning screens, though surface cosmetic damage is fine. Other requirements are: minimum resolution of 1080p (4K preferred), HDMI port, two USB ports preferred, and remote control preferred. Please send us a note HERE if you have a donation.

Exhibits

MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY

Proximity to Water: Works from MVC’s Permanent Collection

Just in time for summer, 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

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

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

Exhibits

AGRICULTURE MUSEUM

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.

Tomols to Trains:

County Transportation

through the 1900s

Tomols to Trains explores how transportation played a role in Ventura County’s history. Visit the communities that struggled with the changes brought about by new modes of transportation.

See how towns and cities changed, how suburbs grew, and how our farms became part of our economies. Learn more HERE.

Made possible by the

Heritage Fund at VCCF

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 and

talent in building our fun-filled market

Explore More Exclusive

MVC ONLINE CONTENT

In honor of the August 19

2023 Ventura County Pride Festival, get to know your local trans icon and trailblazer Lucy Hicks Anderson! Watch former MVC Library intern tell the story HERE.

Only a year younger than Ventura County, The Ventura County Fair began in 1874 and is still thrilling residents 149 years later. Check out a few historical digitized photos of this annual event!

Engage with us on social media, where you’ll find our latest news and incredible artifacts, reels, and art from our collections! Also – @museumofventuracountyFB, TikTok, Twitter

MVC RECOMMENDS

Extended Exhibit

REAGAN FOUNDATION’S AUSCHWITZ. NOT LONG AGO. NOT FAR AWAY.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute announced today, after unprecedented demand – more than 130,000 visitors – the Auschwitz. Not long ago. Not far away. exhibition has been extended through Sunday, January 28, 2024, remaining open through Holocaust Remembrance Day that weekend. This powerful exhibition is one of the most visited in the Reagan Library’s history and reminds visitors to never forget the atrocities of the past. For more information and tickets, click HERE.

A Special Thanks to Our

150th Anniversary Sponsors!

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Please contact:

Heather Williams

(805) 653-0323

HWilliams@VenturaMuseum.org