Pasadena Museum of History events May-August

Pasadena Museum of History

Calendar of Events: May through August, 2012



470 W. Walnut Street, Pasadena, CA 91103; Free Parking.

Information/Reservations: 626.577.1660, ext. 10, or at www.pasadenahistory.org.



~~~ Exhibitions ~~~



CONTENMPORARY MASTERS, ARTISTIC EDEN III

Wednesdays through Sundays, 12:00 to 5:00 pm through July 29, 2012



This invitational, juried fine art exhibition is the third biennial exhibition featuring scenes of the greater San Gabriel Valley by nationally recognized representational artists. Jointly curated by the seven galleries comprising the Pasadena Area Gallery Association (PAGA), Artistic Eden III features works by 43 acclaimed artists, selected from entries by more than 200 individuals.

Tickets: Museum Members, Free; Non-Members, $7; Students & Seniors, $6; Children under 12, Free. Free admission every Wednesday to anyone who lives, works or is a student in the San Gabriel Valley.



WHAT A LONG STRANGE TRIP IT’S BEEN: 35 YEARS OF THE PASADENA DOO DAH PARADE

Wednesdays through Sundays, 12:00 to 5:00 pm August 15, 2012 through January 6, 2013



What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been: 35 Years of the Doo Dah Parade will be a colorful, fun-filled exhibition celebrating the wacky world of Doo Dah, named “America’s Best Parade” by none other than Reader’s Digest. The exhibition will include a photo wall of parade and crowd shots; vignettes of entries – including the Synchronized Precision Marching Briefcase Drill Team; costumes and memorabilia of various Queens and music groups; and a recreation of the scene at Pasadena’s former Chromos Bar, where this all (fortunately, or not) began. There may be more; but, to quote Ann Erdman, the grand marshal of this year’s 35th Parade, “…this is Doo Dah after all, and one never knows…”

Tickets: Museum Members, Free; Non-Members, $7; Students & Seniors, $6; Children under 12, Free. Free admission every Wednesday to anyone who lives, works or is a student in the San Gabriel Valley.



PACIFIC ELECTRIC RAILWAY: THEN & NOW

Wednesdays through Sundays, 12:00 to 5:00 pm August 15, 2012 through January 6, 2013



The Pacific Electric Railway and its 1,100 miles of track connecting Southern California’s many diverse communities died out by the 1960s, but it has become more relevant in recent times due to the Metropolitan Transit Authority’s installation of light rail in many of our communities. While we can never go back to the Big Red Car routes and frequency of service we once enjoyed, many of the modern MTA lines follow what was once part of our everyday life. This exhibition, co-curated by Michael Patris and Steve Crise, will showcase some rare images from our past and compare them to what can be seen in the same locations today.

Tickets: Museum Members, Free; Non-Members, $7; Students & Seniors, $6; Children under 12, Free. Free admission every Wednesday to anyone who lives, works or is a student in the San Gabriel Valley.





~~~ Programs ~~~



SUNNY TALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Wednesdays, May 9, June 13, July 11, August 8, 2012, 10:30 am, at San Rafael Branch of the Pasadena Public Library, 1240 Nithsdale Rd., Pasadena 91105



On the second Wednesday of every month, PMH presents a monthly storytelling series in collaboration with the Pasadena Public Library, San Rafael branch, 1240 Nithsdale Rd., Pasadena, 91105. The Museum’s beloved storyteller Sunny Stevenson will enthrall her listeners with stories on topics and regions around the world suitable for all ages. Topics: May- Asia; June – Art; July – Sports; August -School/Learning

Tickets: Free



HISTORY LIT

May 11-20 (dark May 14) at 8:00 pm



Unbound Productions, in collaboration with Pasadena Museum of History, presents a new theatrical experience this Spring: original stage adaptations of literature that reflect history in creative ways. History Lit features works by some of the greatest women writers of the 19th and 20th centuries – Harriet Beecher Stowe, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and Katherine Mansfield. These short plays will be staged throughout the Museum complex, including the Estate Gardens, Curtin House and inside historic Fenyes Mansion, which is opening briefly to the public for the first time since beginning a series of extensive repairs and upgrades in 2010.

The three plays featured include:

The Garden Party, by Jonathan Josephson, directed by Jeff G. Rack (adapted from the short story of the same name by Katherine Mansfield);

Two Pictures in One, by Paul Millet, directed by Jonathan Josephson (adapted from “The Two Altars: Or Two Pictures in One” by Harriet Beecher Stowe); and

The Yellow Wallpaper, by Jeff G. Rack, directed by Paul Millet (adapted from the short story of the same name by Charlotte Perkins Gilman).

History Lit audiences will experience all three short plays as they are led through the Museum gardens and mansion. This is a walking show – patrons must be able to comfortably walk a minimum of 1,000 paces and climb stairs in order to experience these productions.

Tickets: Purchase tickets online at www.historylit.org or call 818-242-7910.



MOTA (Museums of the Arroyo) Day

Sunday, May 20, 12:00 to 5:00 pm



The twenty-third Museums of the Arroyo (MOTA) Day offers a free day of local history and fun for all ages, as the five museums located along the celebrated Arroyo Seco in Los Angeles and Pasadena open their doors for a free open house! Join us for tours, exhibitions, and special activities throughout the day. At PMH, visitors will enjoy the invitational, juried exhibition Contemporary Masters: Artistic Eden III, which features works depicting life and scenes of the San Gabriel Valley by nationally-recognized artists. Special MOTA Day-only activities include a live “Paint-Out” by exhibition artists in the Gardens, "Make My Own Masterpiece" family printmaking workshop with artist Katrina Alexy, plus hear classical music by string quartet Music-To-Go and visit the Finnish Folk Art Museum.

MOTA Day participants also include Gamble House, Heritage Square Museum, the Lummis Home and Garden, and the Los Angeles Police Museum. For details about the exhibits and special activities at these sites, please visit www.museumsofthearroyo.com.

Tickets: Free



COCKTAIL PARTY TO SUPPORT HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASADENA

Wednesday, May 30, 5:00 to 7:00 pm at El Portal Restaurant, 695 E. Green St., Pasadena 91101


A special cocktail event to support Happy Birthday Pasadena! Join us from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for cocktails and appetizers in Arcade Lane, hosted by El Portal Restaurant. Photographs from the popular 2011 Pasadena History Timeline (which was on view at the 2011 Happy Birthday Pasadena celebration) will be available for viewing and purchase. In addition, El Portal will generously donate 15% of your lunch and dinner (dine-in and take out) food/beverage purchases on May 30 to Happy Birthday Pasadena!

Tickets: $15 (pay at the door). For a downloadable flier for this event, please visit www.pasadenahistory,org.






CALIFORNIA WOMEN WIN THE VOTE

Sunday, June 3, 2:00 pm



Join us for a screening of the film California Women Win the Vote. Using historical materials and re-enactments to present the exciting and significant 1911 CA suffrage campaign, this story of courage, ingenuity, and triumph shows us the role women have played in the expansion of American democracy. The spirit of these women is an inspiration for citizens today, especially in this election year! Filmmakers Martha Wheelock and Jane Guthrie will be present to discuss the film and answer questions.

Tickets: Museum Members $10; Non-Members $15. Reservations suggested; please call 626-577-1660, ext. 10.



PASADENA’S BUNGALOW HEAVEN

Wednesday, June 13, 7:30 pm



Join local authors Julianna Delgado and John G. Ripley as they share the history of Bungalow Heaven, Pasadena’s first and largest landmark district as described and illustrated in their book, Pasadena’s Bungalow Heaven. Bungalow Heaven contains the nation’s finest collection of middle-class homes of the American Arts and Crafts period. It became a model for civic engagement and a lovingly restored reminder of a simpler, healthier way of life. This volume features over 200 historical images of bungalows from the Pasadena Museum of History’s Flag Photo Collection. Doors open at 6:30 pm for viewing of the Museum’s exhibition galleries and for a wine and cheese reception.

Tickets: Museum Members $10; Non-Members $15. Reservations suggested; please call 626-577-1660, ext.10.



SUMMERTIME FUN

Sunday, July 22, 1:00 to 4:00 pm



Join us for a fun-filled afternoon with a variety of activities for all ages. Tour Contemporary Masters: Artistic Eden III. Don’t miss the special Trunk Show with local merchants offering unique gift ideas (details coming soon). We are also setting up our “old time” games in the Mansion gardens, so you can show off your skills playing horseshoes, croquet & badminton. Plus, create a masterpiece of wearable art in our Summer Sun Hat-Making Workshop.

Tickets: Free



GARDENERS, GIFTS & GARBAGE: Tips on Recognizing Value

Thursday, July 26, 7:30 pm



Jeff Moran, Senior Vice President of John Moran Auctioneers, weaves a tale of discard and discovery as he shares stories of artwork and objects that fell through the cracks. Some of these true stories - incorporating the lives and work of some of Pasadena’s most talented artists, including Guy Rose, Alson Skinner Clark and Clemens Friedell - will make you laugh, others cry. But the underlying message is that when custodians or owners fail to recognize value in an object, often the object ends up in the most unlikely location. This talk focuses on a selection of objects that Moran’s has handled at auction: an oil painting left in the garage for the gardener to take, a half-burnt masterwork left behind in a storage unit, a brilliant landscape found at a yard sale for $10, and the remarkable silver bowl that was overlooked and placed in a donation pile. Jeff will share helpful tips and access to sources that will aid members in identifying valuable art, books and antiques. Doors open at 6:30 pm for viewing the Museum’s exhibition galleries and a wine and cheese reception. Tickets: Museum Members $10; Non-Members $15. Reservations suggested; please call 626.577.1660, ext. 10.



MINGLE WITH MAJESTY: ROYAL COCKTAIL EXTRAVAGANZA WITH THE QUEENS OF DOO DAH

Sunday, July 1, 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the Fenyes Estate Gardens



A chance in a lifetime! Party with not one, not two, but a garden full of Doo Dah’s crowned royalty! The public is cordially invited to a Royal Cocktail Extravaganza in honor of the Museum's upcoming retrospective exhibit on the Doo Dah Parade. Sip signature cocktails, including the Dirty Doo Dah, Doo Drop, Doo Dah Twist and DooDahpolitan while you enjoy DooDahrific appetizers and rock out with Snotty Scotty and other legendary Doo Dah performers. What to wear? Cocktail attire, of course -with a Doo Dah twist!

Tickets: $30 Museum Members, $35 Non-Members in advance, $40 at the door. Purchase your tickets today: call 626.577.1660, ext. 10. All proceeds from this event support the installation and exhibition of What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been: 35 Years of the Pasadena Doo Dah Parade.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY PASADENA – CELEBRATING NOW AND THEN

Saturday, June 23, 12:00 to 4:00 pm



Pasadena Museum of History is pleased to continue our annual celebration of the City's richly diverse population, organizations, and talent with a look at Pasadena Now and Then at Pasadena’s official 126th birthday party on June 23. Once again, PMH will partner with the City of Pasadena and numerous local individuals, businesses, and community organizations to present this special event devoted to all things Pasadena! Join us for an entertaining, and informative afternoon of programs and activities suitable for all ages. This year’s festivities will focus on six topics that capture our attention in 2012, just as they have in our City’s past. Delve into the untold stories and surprising twists and turns of these hot topics:

Water – It’s the 100th anniversary of the Pasadena Water Department, the lifeblood of our community.

Neighborhoods – Explore Pasadena’s diversely unique neighborhoods. With all these mini destinations have to offer you can make every weekend a ”staycation” right in your hometown!

Arts – We are highly entertaining! A special look at Pasadena’s stage and screen credits.

Sports – In this Olympic year we honor Pasadena-area Olympians past and present.

Science – With JPL, Caltech, Nobel prizewinners, inventors, and world-renowned researchers in our midst: Pasadena is a Shining Star in the Science Universe!

Transportation – From bicycles to rockets, Pasadena has always set the pace for getting from one place to another!



Birthday cake with the Mayor and City dignitaries, arts & crafts workshops and storytelling for kids, Pasadena’s Centenarians, live music and entertainment, food carts, raffles and prizes round out a not-to- be-missed day of celebration. Mark Your Calendars and Save the Date!

Tickets: Free