The California Museum

The California Museum is featuring Women in Service this month, as well as featuring Black History Month.There is so much to see, that it's hard to see it all in one visit.Today, I am posting a few from the Women in Service to give you an example of what you will see.

We visited the California Museum this past weekend, and enjoyed exploring the various exhibits on multiple floors, including displays showcasing how community affects our health, a section dedicated to the history of the California Indians, a beautiful tiled fountain from Sacramento's Alhambra Theatre, and an interactive exhibit in Unrooted where you can have conversations with Japanese Americans incarcerated in WW2 and ask them questions about their experiences before and after the war.From demonstrations of activism in the Unity Center to displays of decades of activists in the Women Inspire exhibition, there's plenty to educate and capture the attention of viewers. Even got to learn about the accomplishments of some of my faves, like Shonda Rhimes launching an initiative fighting sexual harrassment in the workplace, and connecting her passions to social issues integrated into her shows, such as Grey's Anatomy.The California Hall of Fame, with both displays on the wall and a digital screen option for viewing, features the photos and stories of inductees over the years, including Quincy Jones, Ronald Reagan, Willie Mays, Ansel Adams, Clint Eastwood, Maya Angelou, news anchor Lester Holt, as well as "Dr. Seuss."Unfortunately, some rooms/exhibits were unavailable or under construction during our recent visit. But there was still lots to learn about and appreciate throughout the museum, and the unique setups and interactive format made it more engaging. The gift shop has plenty to offer as well, including bunny bobblehead figurines :D

This review is for the Annual Dia De Los Muertos event held at the CA Museum from 6 pm to 10 pm. Entrance tickets ($12.51) were easily purchased online through EventBrite. Parking in the Lot 24 garage next to the CA Museum was equally smooth (and for a flat rate of $3 if arriving after 5 pm). It was a sold-out event... for good reason as it was jam-packed full of entertainment (Maquilli Tonatiuh Aztec Dancers, MAYA Band, Ballet Folkloric de Sacramento), art exhibits, food, and drinks.

The first positive for the museum is that the admission cost is only $10 which is a great deal ! Two of the areas were closed off one was empty the other was with the traveling exhibit that was not set up yet. The most fun was the health area as it was the most interactive. The other areas were primarily just reading. I do wish there was more to it as it was very quick. If the traveling exhibits were open or something I enjoy I would consider coming back.

Does it make me less of a Californian, or a bad Californian, that I didn't know there was a museum devoted to our state's history? In hindsight, it seems obvious that there would be one, especially in the state capital, but I have to admit that it never really registered in my head that there was one until we came here. What's more, our state has such a rich history, filled with so many important moments, cultures, and people, how could we not have a place to document it all and to teach visitors what helped California come to be what it is? All of which is to say, maybe I'm not a bad Californian, but perhaps kind of a dumb one instead...At a glance, the outside of the California Museum doesn't really look much like a museum. Rather, it blends in perfectly with its neighbors downtown, as it looks far more like an office building than anything else (we couldn't even see anyone inside other than the security worker when we first arrived). Once you buy your admission ticket at the gift shop and make your way upstairs, you're greeted immediately by exhibit after exhibit. For us, the first we walked through focused on various prominent women in California's history, dating back to before California's statehood and going all of the way up to modern day figures, like the late Diane Feinstein and Kamala Harris.In addition, the other exhibits included a homage to guitars/California's music scene, a focus on representation as a people, the history of Japanese internment camps in California, the impact of the Chinese community on multiple aspects of the state's history, Native Americans and tribes, and the California Hall of Fame. In all, the museum speaks to the history of California, but more through the eyes and experiences of its people. Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was interesting, especially hearing the stories of the people who lived through it. There's even an interactive exhibit where you can pose questions and the pre-recorded responses from a handful of Japanese-Americans will play their respective answers.If there was a potential knock on the museum, it's that the exhibits don't show much in the way of what life was like at certain periods or how the state eventually came to be. What's more, while the museum does a good job of trying to account for many different groups, it still feels limited in the breadth of what it covers. Although, to be fair, given how large and diverse the state is, as well as how far back our history goes, I can only imagine how tough it must have been to curate so many different elements and fit them all into such a small and relatively young museum.All in all, while I can't say that the California Museum was the best museum I've ever been to, it's still pretty interesting and far from terrible. What's more, at less than $10 a ticket, it's not a bad way to spend a couple of hours, especially if you're looking to get away from those 100+ degree days in the summertime!FOUR AND A HALF STARS rounded down

I went to the museum on a Sunday so I was able to get free street parking! Compared to most other museums, this one is very interactive as well as informative! One of the exhibits I entered was about women throughout history and feminism. They had sever buttons that when you pushed them, they would play music that empowered a message or movement in accordance to time period. They also had serval screens in a room that would play informative videos of the achievements of women throughout the course of history. Another exibxit, which was limited time, was the history of Filipinos throughout California that exhibited photos, clothing, and personal stories. One fascinating experience I had at this museum was the ability to interact with and AI. We were able to ask questions and have and AI reply on a virtual screen. Sadly I had to cut my visit short since I spent more time at the exhibit than expected and wasn't able to finish exploring.

Some of California's biggest stars and brightest minds came together tonightThis year I had a chance to see some "stars" at the red carpet during 15th California Hall of Fame induction ceremony hosted by the California Museum in Sacramento. As soon as I walked up towards the event I recognized a familiar face... our very own former Yelp CM, Alex L. I was thrilled to get an invite. The list of inductees included the original Wonder Woman, Lynda Carter, whom I was hoping to get a sneak peek at the actress. I was fortunate to view the class from a special public viewing area as they made their red carpet entry. Unfortunately, Lynda Carter was not able to attend. Governor Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom inducted the 15th class of the California Hall of Fame. I saw fellow Yelper, Rich L. We, the general public, were not allowed inside the building or beyond the general red carpet viewing area. We weren't special enough LoL! Local news were lined up for photos and news coverage. The inductees of the California Hall of Fame 15th class are:* Actor and singer-songwriter Lynda Carter* Chef Roy Choi* Physicist Steven Chu* Ice skater Peggy Fleming* Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild* Choreographer Alonzo King* Teacher and former astronaut Barbara Morgan* Soccer player Megan Rapinoe* Singer Linda Ronstadt* Artist Ed Ruscha* Band Los Tigres del NorteI was happy to do a little catching up with Alex... Thank you so much!Review #0558 updated

2022 (July/August/September)The California Museum is such an awesome family date! We were super lucky to have been introduced to this museum via a Summer Soireé Series hosted by Yelp! We were able to come support local businesses and check out the interesting exhibitions.We came back 3 months in a row and each time saw something different as they show case remarkable women of California, or during AAPI event, there was sections in regards to Chinese America history with videos of Lisa Ling or Japanese encampment or my husbands favorite event of the month Between 2 Worlds: Untold Stories of Refugees From Laos which will be on display from now through 28th of October. If you follow me at all, my husband is From Lao. The event we attended was the opening ceremony of the exhibition "Between Two Worlds" presents crucial stages of the Lao refugee experience, inviting visitors to contemplate ideas of "home" as seen through the eyes of people for whom the notion is precarious, and for those who have lived or are still living between two worlds. Developed by the Center for Lao Studies, this traveling exhibit highlights ways in which refugees from Laos exerted pressure on cultural norms, and how survival involved both radical loss and creative adaptation.It was an awesome set up with so much detail! Really wonderful to see. There is a fairly large and growing Asian community in Sacramento and this exhibition probably hits home for many of our families and shows what they went through to give families an American influenced life! I encourage if you or your family haven't visited the California Museum to please do! They have so very many cool exhibits that give you some rich cultured California history!

Great interactive way to teach your teens about California history. It's close to a ton of local restaurants too.

While standing in line to come inside the museum, the attendant was so nice and friendly. She got us more excited about the event and made us feel welcomed. The museum was beautiful and amazing! The people inside were knowledgeable and friendly.