Vote MVC for Best of VC
June 30 – July 31
Museum of Ventura County was nominated for Best Art Gallery – option #3 and Best Museum – option #65 in VC Reporter’s 2023 Best of Ventura County Awards.
Your support counts, please click HERE and vote MVC! |
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150th Anniversary Pop-Up Celebration
Friday August 4
12:00 pm – 11:00 pm
@Ventura County Fair
10 W. Harbor Blvd., Ventura
Join us at the Fair for our first Pop-Up Celebration at Ventura County Fair’s “Youth Day.” MVC’s interactive festival in a tent offers games, giveaways, a touch of our County’s history, and a preview of upcoming 150th Anniversary Events! Community partners will be onsite to host educational art projects. For information on the Ventura County Fair, click HERE. |
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Honeybee Day
Saturday, August 19
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
@Agriculture Museum
926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula
Join us to celebrate Honeybee Day! This family-friendly event offers an interactive bee demo, beeswax products for sale, honey tasting, crafts, story time, artist demo, pollinator talk and more. Buzz by and learn how to help protect these invaluable, tiny friends. Limited space, register for free HERE.
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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.
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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. Parent supervision is required. |
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150th CELEBRATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
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150th Celebration Save the Dates!
October 21, 2023 – The History of Ventura County 150th Anniversary Exhibit Opening at the Agriculture Museum
October 21, 2023 – 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: Ventura County Fair on Aug. 4 • Strathearn Historical Park on Sept. 16 • Port Hueneme Banana Festival on Sept. 30 • Moorpark Country Days on Oct. 7 • Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center on Nov. 11
There is much more to be planned – stay tuned!
Click to view 150th event flyers in SPANISH and ENGLISH. |
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Exhibits
MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY
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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 puzzles 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
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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 McFarland Fund
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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
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Exhibits
AGRICULTURE MUSEUM
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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. |
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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
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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
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Explore More Exclusive
MVC ONLINE CONTENT
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Watch history buff and Museum Docent, Andy Ludlum talk about the Prohibition era in
Ventura County.
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Explore over a dozen virtual and 3D exhibits, including Amendment 19: Votes for Women, Patterns on the Land, and Arte Forastero.
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Engage with us on social media, where you’ll find our latest news and incredible artifacts, reels, and art from our collections!
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Free Webinar
George Meléndez Wright: The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in the National Parks
Tuesday August 22, 2023 5:30 pm PST
In this free webinar, conservationist and writer Jerry Emory discusses his recently published biography “George Meléndez Wright: The Fight for Wildlife and Wilderness in the National Parks.” Twenty-three-year-old George Meléndez Wright arrived in Yosemite National Park in 1927 to work as a ranger naturalist. He went on to become a visionary biologist who brought new ideas to his role at the National Park Service (NPS), organizing the first science-based wildlife survey of the western parks, and forever changing how the agency would manage public lands and natural resources. Register for this event HERE. |
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A Special Thanks to Our
MVC SUPPORTERS
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Museum of Ventura County Business Club members are community leaders who are committed to the region’s history, art, and stories.
MVC thanks our current
Business Club Members
for their support:
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Major funding for these programs is made possible by the City of
San Buenaventura, the County of Ventura and private and community donors.
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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
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