Santa Cruz Travel Guide 2009 - (Page 40) galleries and Museums Art and history combined From bright airy galleries brimming with From potatoes and wheat to lettuce and space designed to highlight pieces from the museum’s permanent collection in granite, clay, bronze and other mediums. The museum also manages historic Evergreen Cemetery and the Davenport Jail Museum. For more art, the Pajaro Valley Arts Council and Gallery in south county offers themed exhibits on a year-round basis in the gallery and at various satellite locations throughout the community. The first weekend of every month, Santa Cruz galleries and artists’ studios open their doors to share their craft with visitors on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Showcasing spectacular local creations, these free “First Weekend” events are a unique way to view art at its core. Or, hop aboard a bus during contemporary displays, to an adobe mission housing artifacts from nearly two centuries ago, the galleries and museums of Santa Cruz County offer an array of historically and culturally-significant items. From modern art to vintage surfboards, you’ll find a museum or gallery in Santa Cruz County that will arouse your interest and curiosity. Dedicated to “all youth whose ideals are beacons to the future,” the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, housed in the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse overlooks the internationally renowned surfing spot Steamer Lane. The museum is located on scenic West Cliff Drive, and includes historic photographs, strawberries, local agriculture is celebrated at the Agricultural History Museum in Watsonville. The museum offers the opportunity to experience life on the farm through educational exhibits and a timeline chronicling the crops supported by the valley’s unique combination of soils and climates throughout the past 150 years. The historic Rodgers House, the home of John Steinbeck’s sister, sits adjacent to the museum site. The Museum of Art and History at the McPherson Center, the largest cultural facility in the area, displays an eclectic mix of historical collections alongside visiting art exhibits. The MAH offers permanent displays and docentled tours, creating a greater understanding of contemporary art. The outdoor sculpture garden and rooftop gallery is an exhibition 40 early wetsuits designed by local Jack O’Neill, unsinkable vintage redwood surfboards, and other items trace over 100 years of surfing history in Santa Cruz. Many of the museum’s volunteer docents are Santa Cruz’s first wave of contemporary longboard surfers. “ Santa Cruz commands gorgeous Pacific Coast views…” MerCer iSlAnd rePorter, oCtoBer 1, 2008 2 0 0 9 O f f i C i a l S a n ta C r u z C O u n t y t r aV e l e r ’ S G u i d e
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