THE PACIFIC GROVE MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY WILL HOST THE OPENING OF AN EXHIBIT ON OCTOBER 5 THAT WILL EXPLORE THE MUSEUM’S 135-YEAR HISTORY.

When it opens on October 5 at the Pacific Grove institution, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History will be presenting a new exhibit that will investigate the museum’s own unique history that spans 135 years. Pacific Grove, California, the 21st of September, 2018 — When it opens on October 5 at the Pacific Grove institution, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History will be presenting a new exhibit that will investigate the museum’s own unique history that spans 135 years. On the evening of Friday, October 5, 2018, from six to eight o’clock in the evening, the Special Exhibits Gallery at the Museum will play host to an opening reception for the exhibition titled “135 Years of Natural History.” This exhibition will investigate the history of the museum, beginning with its origins in the Pacific Coast chapter of the Chautauqua Literary and Science Circle in the year 1879. It will then proceed to examine the numerous expansions and reorganizations that occurred during the 20th century, and finally, it will examine how the Museum is honoring its legacy through their extensive outreach and education programs. In the year 1883, the first Museum opened its doors. “This is a fairly fascinating show,” Juan Govea, who is the Director of Exhibits and Education, remarked of the display. “The exhibit will lead visitors from the 1880s to the present day, speaking to changes at the Museum, from construction to growth, via tales and by presenting portions of our collections that match with their dates. It will tell the story of how the Museum has changed over the years.” People are able to engage with one another in a number of settings, and there is a lot of diversity. “The display will comprise objects from the Museum’s wide collections, models, art pieces, specimens, and antique pictures,” Govea added. “The exhibit will also feature historic images.” “In five large sections, it’s a voyage from one period to the next,” he added. “It’s a fascinating adventure.” In response to the question of what he found out about the Museum that took him by surprise, Govea said that he was reminded of the significant role that women have played and continue to play in the history of the Museum. In the case of the initial association, for instance, nine out of the twelve members were female, and Mary E. B. Norton was one of the first curators of the organization. Throughout the course of the year, women continued to play a significant part in the development of the Museum. Jeanette Kihs, who is now serving as the executive director, is also a female. Information on the past of the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Pacific Grove was the location where the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle (pronounced shuh-TAH-kwuh) first founded its branch on the Pacific Coast in the year 1879. Each summer, this location played host to a Chautauqua assembly that lasted for two weeks and included activities such as classes, exhibitions, lectures, picnics, and concerts. Over the course of many years, a number of members have expressed the desire to establish a storage area and display space where they might maintain collections of natural marvels and make them accessible for scholars to examine. In the year 1883, Professor H. B. Norton, Dr. J. H. Wyeth, Dr. C. L. Anderson, Miss Lucy M. Washburn, Miss Mary E. B. Norton, and Professor Josiah Keep all signed a petition that demanded the construction of a museum building. A modest wooden octagonal house on their site served as the Chautauqua Museum’s original home. The petition was sent to F. S. Douty, who was the secretary of the Pacific Improvement Company. In the year 1881, at the second meeting of the Chautauqua Assembly, the idea for the Chautauqua Museum in Pacific Grove was conceived. The real Museum was established in the year 1883. The Museum was established with the purpose of bringing together collections of natural marvels and making them accessible for research purposes. Over the course of the year 1900, the Chautauqua Museum was dissolved in order to establish a more long-lasting institution known as the Pacific Grove Museum Association. Afterwards, the Association received the donation of the Museum’s present lot from the Pacific Improvement Company, and the Museum subsequently relocated into a big structure on the site where it is now located. The Association was responsible for the upkeep of the Museum until 1916, when it was acquired by the City of Pacific Grove via a Charter election from the Association. In spite of the fact that it is still owned by the city, the Museum Foundation of Pacific Grove, which is a 501(c)(3) organization, administers the museum. The American Association of Museums has granted the Museum its accreditation since 1972, making it the first institution in Monterey County to get this specific accreditation. The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History: Some Background Knowledge As it has done throughout its history and continues to do so today, the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History has been a center of natural science on the Monterey Peninsula for the past 135 years. It has been a gathering place for professional scientists, amateur naturalists, and artists who are interested in the natural world. The purpose of the museum is to encourage exploration, awe, and responsible care of the natural world that we live in. It imagines a community of inquisitive minds who are actively involved in the process of finding the natural heritage and cultural history that are present on the Central California Coast at the present time. In this area, the Museum serves as a catalyst for conservation and a valuable learning resource, making it possible for people of all ages to engage in proactive research. Telephone: (831) 648-5716 Fax: (831) 648-5755 admin@pgmuseum.org Address: 165 Forest Avenue, Pacific Grove, California 93950 www.pgmuseum.org Photos are available at the following link: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPF7tEb2RhDdgqEW5hXhRq Euc1YmmfArhJlmoM9rAGew8Lp E0pwi87WaFNJAoRQ?key=STRUVFZSVlpuVEg3S25MX3ZSN0pPa1MxV1Zrc2VR Marci Bracco Cain Chatterbox Public Relations Salinas, California 93901 (831) 747-7455 http://www.pgmuseum.org is the contact information.