Bowers Museum Opens 90th Anniversary Exhibition Nov. 21 Tracing the Birth of Orange County's First Public Museum
The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, Orange County, California, is marking its 90th anniversary. Bowers Legacy: The Making of a Museum, a permanent exhibition created for the anniversary, opens November 21 and uses archival photographs, architectural drawings, historic objects and early exhibition records to trace how Orange County's first public museum grew out of a family bequest.
The museum is named for Charles W. Bowers and his wife Ada, whose estate created a trust that led to the museum's opening in 1936. The exhibition highlights the original 1932 building raised during the Great Depression, the foundational work of first curator Bessie Beth Coulter and the museum's earliest board members, and features ten historic objects connected to its founding.
The exhibition also commemorates the 250th anniversary of United States independence. Once open, it becomes a permanent display: Santa Ana residents can visit free every Sunday with proof of residence, and admission is free for members. Major support comes from David and Ruth Seigle and Dr. Kelly Tran.
The museum has also launched its Annual Fund appeal: gifts made by December 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000, by longtime supporters Susan and Stephen Chandler. Donors of $1,000 or more are invited to a December 11 opening-night celebration with curator-led tours of the new exhibitions.
The Bowers Museum, at 2002 North Main Street in Santa Ana, holds more than 90,000 works of art and artifacts from cultures around the world and has been voted Best Museum in Orange County by Orange County Register readers for 33 consecutive years.
(Source: Bowers Museum)
Source: Bowers Museum
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：位于 Santa Ana 的 Bowers 博物馆建筑全景。 / Photo: A panoramic view of the Bowers Museum building in Santa Ana. (Wikimedia Commons, Attribution)
