San Bernardino County Museum Newsletter from January and February 2011.

Happy New Year!  Wow, 2011 is here, and it’s time to make and try to keep a bunch of great New Year’s resolutions.   Lots of folks resolve to do things like take better care of their health, spend more time with family, become involved in their community by volunteering, feed their intellectual curiosity, or taking up a new hobby.  The San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands is a great place to do all of those things!  You can make multiple resolutions, and easily keep them in the coming year, and have a terrific time right here with us.

We have a new exhibit coming up in March 2011, running through October 2011 – Turn, Turn, Turn – all about social and political movements of the 1960s, and 1970s. Resolution-keeping opportunities abound!  As a part of the activities planned for the exhibit, we will feature several dance parties on weekend afternoons in the Fisk Gallery here at the museum.  You can dance to the tunes, a healthy way to exercise, and learn more about pop culture, politics, and musical influences of the era, all at the same time.  Bring your family, and introduce younger members to “old school” that’s still cool.  That’s three resolutions in one, right there!

Visit the museum on March 6, and enjoy demonstrations and activities with Embroiderer’s Guild of America members who will be sharing their work, and offering advice on starting needlework projects.  Join one of the Western Textile Center Association guilds, and enjoy a new hobby, in a fun and friendly environment.  There’s another resolution down!

Join us for one of our most popular yearly events – Train Days – Jan. 15^th and 16^{th 2011}, and bring your family and friends to enjoy model train layouts, storytelling, train lore, and more.  A super event for everyone, Train Days is a great intergenerational opportunity.  Share your train memories, and help make new ones with younger members of the family.  Let’s see, that’s several resolutions all at one “stop” along the track!

Explore how the past and the present are interrelated, and how what we do today to care for our family treasures, can preserve them for the future.  Attend a free Discovery Day event at Agua Mansa Cemetery in Colton on January 28^th at 1:00 p.m., or at the John Rains House in Rancho Cucamonga on February 25, at 1:00 p.m., and learn more about the history of the sites, along with storage and care techniques you can use at home for your own family artifacts.

Did you know that family history research is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the United States?  Discovery Day activities at the historic sites are super multifaceted resolution-keeping opportunities.  You can walk the grounds for healthful exercise, learn something new, and focus on your family’s story, perhaps to share with future generations!  Additionally, if you are looking for a meaningful volunteer opportunity, the museum is a great place to offer your services.  Right now, the history division is seeking a qualified volunteer with maintenance and handyperson skills to work on projects at the historic sites.  Volunteers for our train restoration program directed by Mike Pollack are also available.  Please telephone or e-mail the history division for further details!

Whether you are interested in making and keeping resolutions, or you just seeking new horizons in the New Year, the San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands is a great place to be.  Join us for fun, exploration opportunities, and community connection.  Peruse our annual calendar for more museum-wide events, and check out our website or your newsletter for history division spring fling tours that are in the planning stages now.  Hope to see you at a museum event soon!

Michele Nielsen, curator of history

The San Bernardino County Museum is located at:

2024 Orange Tree Lane

Redlands, CA 92374

Telephone the museum at: 909.307.2669 or visit our website: www.sbcountymuseum.org