Museum of Ventura County — True Crime Exhibit: Establish Your Alibi at the MVC

COMMUNITY EVENTS

An Introduction to Japanese Obon: A Japanese Summer Festival

Saturday, August 5

1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula

Explore the meaning of this cultural and religious festival and how it is expressed in America today. Participants can decorate a lantern in memory of a loved one who has passed away, listen to the powerful sounds of the taiko drum, and learn the Bon Odori dance, Ei Ja Nai Ka, which celebrates immigrant ancestors. Register for free HERE.

Honeybee Day

Saturday, August 19

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

@Agriculture Museum

926 Railroad Ave., Santa Paula

Join us to celebrate Honeybee Day on Saturday, August 19 11:00 am – 2:00 pm at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula. 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. Register for free HERE.

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 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

150th Celebration Save the Dates!

October 21, 2023 – Family Fair and Music Festival in

Santa Paula

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, Thousand Oaks Performing Arts Center on Nov. 11, and much more to be planned – stay tuned!

Thank you to In the Mix Events for sponsoring a successful 150th Anniversary Kick-Off Celebration

last month!

SUMMER CAMP

Play-Well TEKnologies

Summer Camps

Weekdays, July 17-August 11

9:00AM-12:00PM or 1:00PM-4:00PM

@Museum of Ventura County

@Agriculture Museum

Registration Required

Summer is right around the corner and Play-Well is back at the museums! Week-long Engineering with Lego® Summer camps will be held in Ventura and Santa Paula between June 26-August 11. With camp themes like Pokémon Engineering with LEGO® and Mickey’s Fairytale Adventures with LEGO®, building memories and friendships will be a snap. Click HERE for more information!

OTHER EXCITING NEWS

+ ANNOUNCEMENTS

July Puzzles

Our July digital puzzles focus on beautiful Ojai. From snow-coated mountain roads to El Roblar Hotel (pictured here) to a 1939 World’s Fair Cake, experience a sample of Ojai’s history while having some puzzling fun! View all July puzzles HERE.

Exhibits

MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY

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 limited natural resources.

This exhibit is made possible by

the John Hammer Family

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

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

Exhibits

AGRICULTURE MUSEUM

Exhibits From the

Smithsonian Gardens:

Pollination Investigation –

The Essential Role of Pollinators in the Natural World

at the Agriculture Museum in Santa Paula

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 (English and Spanish) 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

at the Agriculture Museum

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

at the Agriculture Museum

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

For more information on all our exhibits, click HERE

Explore More Exclusive

MVC ONLINE CONTENT

Watch history buff and Museum Docent Andy Ludlum talk about the prohibition era in Ventura County.

Explore over a dozen virtual and 3D exhibits, including Amendment 19: Votes for Women, Patterns on the Land, and Arte Forastero.

Engage with us on social media, where you’ll find our latest news and incredible artifacts, reels, and art from our collections!

MVC RECOMMENDS

Online Exhibition

California Counties

150+ Years Documenting California History

The California Historical Society has been collecting and sharing stories from throughout the state for more than 150 years. They strive to gather and preserve the extraordinarily diverse stories from throughout the state. It is with this in mind that staff scoured their archives to find images from each of California’s fifty-eight counties to feature in this online gallery.

View the online gallery HERE.

CALLING ALL LOCAL ARTISTS

A Special Thanks to Our

MVC SUPPORTERS

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:

For more information about the MVC Business Club, please contact:

Angela Sanchez

(805) 653-0323

ASanchez@venturamuseum.org

Major funding for these programs is made possible by the City of
San Buenaventura, the County of Ventura and private and community donors.
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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